Systems and methods for asynchronous api-driven external application services for a blockchain

ABSTRACT

Systems and methods for asynchronous API-driven external application services for blockchain are provided. The blockchain may store profile data that permits asynchronous communications and data sharing among a plurality of trusted users, and an application server layer may act as a gateway to a blockchain system to selectively provide limited access to external application services to operate upon the blockchain data.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This disclosure claims benefit and priority under 35 U.S.C. § 120 to,and is a Continuation of, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/899,829filed on Aug. 31, 2022 and titled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ASYNCHRONOUSAPI-DRIVEN EXTERNAL APPLICATION SERVICES FOR A BLOCKCHAIN”, which itselfclaims benefit and priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No.16/928,341 filed on Jul. 14, 2020 and titled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FORASYNCHRONOUS API-DRIVEN EXTERNAL APPLICATION SERVICES FOR A BLOCKCHAIN”,which issued as U.S. Pat. No. 11,470,158 on Jul. 14, 2020, each of whichis hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

Advances in distributed electronic ledger capabilities (e.g.,“blockchain”) are now being leveraged to provide for secure electronictransactions in a variety of industries. Some implementations areutilized to replace legacy paper ledger or outdated electronic ledgersystems, while other implementations seek to introduce new capabilitiesby reimagining process flows to implement blockchain features. Despitethe advantages of implementing blockchain systems, such implementationsmust typically be customized for each particular industry process andare often limited to a handful of conceptual designs that either reducefunctionality or increase security risks.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The figures depict embodiments for purposes of illustration only. Oneskilled in the art will readily recognize from the following descriptionthat alternative embodiments of the systems and methods illustratedherein may be employed without departing from the principles describedherein, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system according to some embodiments;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a system according to some embodiments;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a system according to some embodiments;

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram of a method according to some embodiments;

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram of a method according to some embodiments;

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram of a method according to some embodiments;

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a system according to some embodiments;

FIG. 8 is a flow diagram of a method according to some embodiments;

FIG. 9 is a systemic flow diagram of a method according to someembodiments;

FIG. 10 is a block diagram of an apparatus according to someembodiments; and

FIG. 11A, FIG. 11B, FIG. 11C, FIG. 11D, and FIG. 11E are perspectivediagrams of exemplary data storage devices according to someembodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

I. Introduction

The two primary types of blockchain conceptual designs are (i) publicblockchain and (ii) private (or enterprise) blockchain. Publicblockchains comprise open networks of distributed ledger data storagethat permit access to any user that utilizes the correct protocol. Thehigher the number of nodes (e.g., user devices) that participate in apublic blockchain, the more distributed copies of the “chain” of ledgerblocks exist, and the higher the protection against DistributedDenial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks. Data stored in such a publicblockchain, however, is necessarily public. For applications thatrequire maintaining data privacy, such as enterprise business datasystems, private blockchain may generally be more appropriate. Thecredentialing services required to ensure that private blockchain dataremains private, however, limit the capabilities of the blockchain byimposing barriers to entry for all users and by increasing functionaloverhead costs.

In accordance with embodiments herein, these and other deficiencies ofprevious solutions are remedied by providing systems, apparatus,methods, and articles of manufacture for asynchronous ApplicationProgramming Interface (API)-driven external application services for ablockchain. The inventors have realized, for example, that privateblockchain systems may be utilized to provide for asynchronous user,customer, and/or consumer communications and/or data sharing servicesand that such services can be strategically enhanced by providing asystem that allows limited and selective access to third-party serviceproviders. Customers/consumers have traditionally been required toprovide information to an agent or representative of a company, forexample, with the agent/representative then forwarding the acquiredinformation within their organization to provide products or services tothe customer/consumer. Feedback or results (such as price quotes, termsof service, etc.) may then be provided back to the customer/consumerthrough their point-of-contact. These communication paths are serial orsynchronous in nature, which decreases process flexibility andintroduces delays that may be detrimental to the desired goals.

The inventors have realized that providing for an asynchronouscustomer/consumer data management platform that utilizes blockchainfunctionality may provide many benefits. Particularly forrelationships/processes that require multiple parties, such ascustomers/consumers, agents, representatives, third-parties, and/orother users, for example, providing blockchain-enabled asynchronouscustomer/consumer profile data sharing and access may greatly decreasetime delays for the given processes. Managed access blockchainfunctionality may provide both data security and integrity to eachrelationship, communication chain, and/or transaction, thus enhancingthe benefits of the asynchronous platform. In some embodiments, such anasynchronous blockchain system may provide selective and/or limitedaccess to third-party service providers. The system may, for example,comprise an API services layer that manages user access to theblockchain system and manages permissions and/or subscriptions tothird-party services that are selectively given limited access to theblockchain data in furtherance of providing their services. As describedin more detail by the non-limiting examples set forth herein, accordingto some embodiments a third-party service may be given limited access toblockchain (and/or other database) data to perform calculations and/orconduct data modeling, lookups, etc., with the results of thethird-party processing being provided to an associated system user. Insome embodiments, such external application services may be managed byan API platform or layer that is owned and/or operated by an entitydistinct from the users of the system and/or from the blockchain system.In such a manner, for example, the API-driven external applicationservice management provider may act as a portal to the blockchainsystem.

II. Asynchronous API-Driven Application Services for Blockchain Systems

Referring first to FIG. 1 , a block diagram of a system 100 according tosome embodiments is shown. In some embodiments, the system 100 maycomprise a plurality of consumer devices 102 a-n, a plurality of userdevices 104 a-n, a plurality of company devices 106 a-n, a controllerdevice 110, a network 130, and/or a database 140. As depicted in FIG. 1, any or all of the devices 102 a-n, 104 a-n, 106 a-n, 110, 140 (or anycombinations thereof) may be in communication via the network 130. Insome embodiments, the system 100 may be utilized to provide for anasynchronous API-driven external services platform for a blockchain. Thecontroller device 110 may, for example, interface with one or more ofthe consumer devices 102 a-n, the user devices 104 a-n, and/or thecompany devices 106 a-n to selectively provide limited access tothird-party services for the blockchain (e.g., a private blockchain).

Fewer or more components 102 a-n, 104 a-n, 106 a-n, 110, 130, 140 and/orvarious configurations of the depicted components 102 a-n, 104 a-n, 106a-n, 110, 130, 140 may be included in the system 100 without deviatingfrom the scope of embodiments described herein. In some embodiments, thecomponents 102 a-n, 104 a-n, 106 a-n, 110, 130, 140 may be similar inconfiguration and/or functionality to similarly named and/or numberedcomponents as described herein. In some embodiments, the system 100(and/or portion thereof) may comprise an asynchronous API-drivenexternal application services for blockchain program, system, and/orplatform programmed and/or otherwise configured to execute, conduct,and/or facilitate the methods 400, 500, 600, 800, 900 of FIG. 4, FIG. 5, FIG. 6 , FIG. 8 , and/or FIG. 9 herein, and/or portions orcombinations thereof.

The consumer devices 102 a-n, user devices 104 a-n, and/or companydevices 106 a-n, in some embodiments, may comprise any types orconfigurations of computing, mobile electronic, network, user, and/orcommunication devices that are or become known or practicable. Theconsumer devices 102 a-n, user devices 104 a-n, and/or company devices106 a-n may, for example, comprise one or more tablet computers, such asan iPad® manufactured by Apple®, Inc. of Cupertino, CA, and/or cellularand/or wireless telephones or “smart” phones, such as an iPhone® (alsomanufactured by Apple®, Inc.) or an Optimus™ S smart phone manufacturedby LG® Electronics, Inc. of San Diego, CA, and running the Android®operating system from Google®, Inc. of Mountain View, CA. According tosome embodiments, the consumer devices 102 a-n, user devices 104 a-n,and/or company devices 106 a-n may comprise any combination and/orconfiguration of electronic devices that store, receive, transmit,provide, and/or process data, such as one or more “smart” cards, RFIDand/or NFC cards, chips, and/or other data storage and/or processingobjects. In some embodiments, the consumer devices 102 a-n, user devices104 a-n, and/or company devices 106 a-n may be owned and/or operated bydifferent users and/or classes or groups of users. Ownership and/oroperation by one or more entities or groups may be signified and/ordefined by different sets of login credentials, identifiers, etc. Afirst user or group may be privy to, own, be assigned, and/or utilize afirst set of login credentials and/or a first identifier that grantaccess to a first set of access privileges, for example, while a seconduser or group may be privy to, own, be assigned, and/or utilize a secondset of login credentials and/or a second identifier that grant access toa second set of access privileges.

According to some embodiments, the consumer devices 102 a-n may comprisedevices owned and/or operated by one or more customers, potentialcustomers, and/or consumers that, e.g., each utilize a unique consumerlogin identifier and/or consumer login credentials. In some embodiments,the user devices 104 a-n may comprise devices owned and/or operated byone or more agents, representatives, brokers, third-parties, and/orother users that, e.g., each utilize a unique user login identifierand/or user login credentials. According to some embodiments, thecompany devices 106 a-n may comprise devices owned and/or operated byone or more customer service representatives or agents, salesrepresentatives, underwriters, appraisers, and/or other companypersonnel that, e.g., each utilize a unique company login identifierand/or company login credentials. According to some embodiments, theuser devices 102 a-n may communicate with the controller device 110 viathe network 104 to conduct various complex and/or multivariate queries,such as underwriting inquiries, e.g., to submit a FNOL and/or resolve aclaim of loss, as described herein.

In some embodiments, the consumer devices 102 a-n, user devices 104 a-n,and/or company devices 106 a-n may interface with the controller device110 to effectuate communications (direct or indirect) with one or moreother consumer devices 102 a-n, user devices 104 a-n, and/or companydevices 106 a-n (such communication not explicitly shown in FIG. 1 )operated by other users, for example. In some embodiments, the consumerdevices 102 a-n, user devices 104 a-n, and/or company devices 106 a-nmay comprise one or more sensors and/or other data acquisition and/orinput devices. In some embodiments, input from such devices 102 a-n, 104a-n, 106 a-n may be provided to the controller device 110 to be storedin a blockchain managed thereby and/or to be selectively provided to oneor more of the other devices 102 a-n, 104 a-n, 106 a-n to permit limitedthird-party external application access to the blockchain, as describedherein.

According to some embodiments, the controller device 110 may comprise anelectronic and/or computerized controller device, such as a computerserver, communicatively coupled to interface with the consumer devices102 a-n, user devices 104 a-n, and/or company devices 106 a-n (directlyand/or indirectly). The controller device 110 may, for example, compriseone or more PowerEdge™ R830 rack servers manufactured by Dell®, Inc. ofRound Rock, TX, which may include one or more Twelve-Core Intel® Xeon®E5-4640 v4 electronic processing devices. In some embodiments, thecontroller device 110 may comprise a plurality of processing devicesspecially programmed to execute and/or conduct processes that are notpracticable without the aid of the controller device 110. The controllerdevice 110 may, for example, provide managed, API-driven access to ablockchain by enabling external application services for the blockchain,as described herein. In some embodiments, such external services wouldnot being capable of being provided without the benefit of the speciallyprogrammed controller 110, particularly without sacrificing the securityof the private blockchain data. According to some embodiments, thecontroller device 110 may be located remotely from one or more of theconsumer devices 102 a-n, user devices 104 a-n, and/or company devices106 a-n. The controller device 110 may also or alternatively comprise aplurality of electronic processing devices located at one or morevarious sites and/or locations.

According to some embodiments, the controller device 110 may storeand/or execute specially programmed instructions to operate inaccordance with embodiments described herein. The controller device 110may, for example, execute one or more API, Artificial Intelligence (AI),neural network, and/or other programs, modules, and/or routines thatfacilitate the provision of permission-based data sharing and externalapplication access to blockchain data. According to some embodiments,the controller device 110 may comprise a computerized processing device,such as a computer server and/or other electronic device, to manageand/or facilitate queries and/or communications regarding the consumerdevices 102 a-n, user devices 104 a-n, and/or company devices 106 a-n.The controller device 110 may be utilized, for example, to: (i) receiveand verify or authenticate various identifiers and/or login credentialsprovided by any or all of the consumer devices 102 a-n, user devices 104a-n, and/or company devices 106 a-n, (ii) lookup and/or retrieve datastored in association with the received identifiers and/or logincredentials, (iii) identify, manage, and/or verify or authenticate dataaccess permissions, (iv) identify, manage, and/or verify or authenticateone or more third-party external applications, (v) provide limitedblockchain access to the one or more third-party external applications,and/or (vi) manage and/or apply fees for the use of the one or morethird-party external applications, as described herein.

The network 130 may, according to some embodiments, comprise a LocalArea Network (LAN; wireless and/or wired), cellular telephone,Bluetooth® and/or Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), Near Field Communication(NFC), and/or Radio Frequency (RF) network with communication linksbetween the controller device 110, the consumer devices 102 a-n, userdevices 104 a-n, company devices 106 a-n, and/or the database 140. Insome embodiments, the network 130 may comprise direct communicationlinks between any or all of the components 102 a-n, 104 a-n, 106 a-n,110, 140 of the system 100. The consumer devices 102 a-n, user devices104 a-n, and/or company devices 106 a-n may, for example, be directlyinterfaced or connected to the controller device 110 via one or morewires, cables, wireless links, and/or other network components, suchnetwork components (e.g., communication links) comprising portions ofthe network 130. In some embodiments, the network 130 may comprise oneor many other links or network components other than those depicted inFIG. 1 . The consumer devices 102 a-n, user devices 104 a-n, and/orcompany devices 106 a-n may, for example, be connected to the controllerdevice 110 via various cell towers, routers, repeaters, ports, switches,and/or other network components that comprise the Internet and/or acellular telephone (and/or Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN))network, and which comprise portions of the network 130.

While the network 130 is depicted in FIG. 1 as a single object, thenetwork 130 may comprise any number, type, and/or configuration ofnetworks that is or becomes known or practicable. According to someembodiments, the network 130 may comprise a conglomeration of differentsub-networks and/or network components interconnected, directly orindirectly, by the components 102 a-n, 104 a-n, 106 a-n, 110, 140 of thesystem 100. The network 130 may comprise one or more cellular telephonenetworks with communication links between the consumer devices 102 a-nand the controller device 110, for example, and/or may comprise a BLE,NFC, RF, and/or a “personal” network comprising short-range wirelesscommunications between the company devices 106 a-n and the user devices104 a-n, for example.

In some embodiments, the controller device 110 (and/or the consumerdevices 102 a-n, user devices 104 a-n, and/or company devices 106 a-n)may be in communication with the database 140. The database 140 maystore, for example, user and/or account identification data, securitydata (e.g., login credentialing and/or decryption data), blockchain data(chaincode and/or blockchain ledger data), preference and/orcharacteristics data, consumer profile data, permissions data, externalapplication data (e.g., external application instructions, addresses,and/or payment information), and/or instructions that cause variousdevices (e.g., the controller device 110, consumer devices 102 a-n, userdevices 104 a-n, and/or company devices 106 a-n) to operate inaccordance with embodiments described herein. The database 140 maystore, for example, blockchain curator/notary data, chaincode, ledgerdata (e.g., storing various data related to user communications,relationships, and/or transactions), third-party application scripts,insured object data (e.g., type, capability, and/or location), and/ordecision-making data (e.g., thresholds and/or logic). In someembodiments, the database 140 may comprise any type, configuration,and/or quantity of data storage devices that are or become known orpracticable. The database 140 may, for example, comprise an array ofoptical and/or solid-state hard drives configured to store consumerprofile data provided by (and/or requested by) the consumer devices 102a-n, user devices 104 a-n, and/or company devices 106 a-n, sensoranalysis data (e.g., analysis formulas and/or mathematical modelsdescriptive of sensor data parsing, object recognition, objectclassification, and/or numeric conversion data), blockchain access data,and/or various operating instructions, drivers, etc. While the database140 is depicted as a stand-alone component of the system 100 in FIG. 1 ,the database 140 may comprise multiple components. In some embodiments,a multi-component database 140 may be distributed across various devicesand/or may comprise remotely dispersed components. Any or all of theconsumer devices 102 a-n, user devices 104 a-n, and/or company devices106 a-n may comprise the database 140 or a portion thereof, for example,and/or the controller device 110 may comprise the database or a portionthereof.

Turning to FIG. 2 , a block diagram of a system 200 according to someembodiments, is shown. In some embodiments, the system 200 may comprisea consumer device 202, a user device 204, a company device 206, and/or athird-party device 208. For ease of reference these devices may becollectively referred to as “client devices” 202, 204, 206, 208.According to some embodiments, the client devices 202, 204, 206, 208 maybe in communication with various remote devices and/or systems, such asan application and services layer 210 a and/or a blockchain applicationlayer 210 b. In some embodiments, the client devices 202, 204, 206, 208may be communicatively coupled to communicate with the application andservices layer 210 a through an authentication and authorization gateway210 a-1. According to some embodiments, communications with theblockchain application layer 210 b may be conducted through one or moreclient endpoints, such as a consumer endpoint API 210 b-1, a userendpoint API 210 b-2, a company endpoint API 210 b-3, and/or athird-party endpoint API 210 b-4. In some embodiments, the applicationand services layer 210 a may authenticate access by the client devices202, 204, 206, 208 via the authentication and authorization gateway 210a-1 and may route and/or provide access to various services available tothe client devices 202, 204, 206, 208. As depicted in FIG. 2 , forexample, each of the client devices 202, 204, 206, 208 may be routed toand/or may access a respective application (or set of applications),such as consumer applications 212 a-1, user applications 212 a-2,company applications 212 a-3, and/or third-party applications 212 a-4.

According to some embodiments, the various applications 212 a-1, 212a-2, 212 a-3, 212 a-4 may govern permissible activities for each of theclient devices 202, 204, 206, 208 within the application and serviceslayer 210 a and/or with respect to access to the blockchain applicationlayer 210 b. The applications 212 a-1, 212 a-2, 212 a-3, 212 a-4 may,for example, manage access to particular and/or respective nodes (e.g.,trusted nodes) within the blockchain application layer 210 b, such as aconsumer node 212 b-1, a user node 212 b-2, a company node 212 b-3,and/or a third-party node 212 b-4. In some embodiments, the blockchainapplication layer 210 b may comprise a “notary” or “curator” node 212b-5 that manages a distributed ledger through the blockchain applicationlayer 210 b (that may, for example, manage but not have access to theblockchain/ledger). According to some embodiments, the nodes 212 b-1,212 b-2, 212 b-3, 212 b-4 may be in communication within the blockchainapplication layer 210 b in accordance with a management plan thatdefines the blockchain. As depicted in FIG. 2 , for example, theconsumer node 212 b-1, the user node 212 b-2, and the company node 212b-3 may be in communication via a network 230 with each other and/orwith the curator node 212 b-5. According to some embodiments, thethird-party node 212 b-4 may also or alternatively be in communicationwith the curator node 212 b-5, directly (as depicted) and/or via thenetwork 230.

In some embodiments, each of the nodes 212 b-1, 212 b-2, 212 b-3, 212b-4 may comprise or have access to a data store 240 a-e that stores adistributed copy of a ledger 244 a-1, 244 b-1, 244 c-1, 244 d-1, 244 e-1and/or other relevant data 244 a-2, 244 b-2, 244 c-2, 244 d-2, 244 e-2.The blockchain application layer 210 b and/or the curator node 212 b-5thereof may, for example, manage blockchain implementation by providingsignature and blockchain transaction verification services to the othernodes 212 b-1, 212 b-2, 212 b-3, 212 b-4. According to some embodiments,the curator node 212 b-5 may store blockchain signature and transactionverification policies, rules, and/or instructions stored in fifth data244 e-2 of a fifth data store 240 e thereof. In some embodiments, theclient devices 202, 204, 206, 208 may access the blockchain applicationlayer 210 b (e.g., via the application and services layer 210 a) toprovide, edit, and/or retrieve data stored in their respective nodes 212b-1, 212 b-2, 212 b-3, 212 b-4 and/or to execute transactions that arerecorded in the various ledgers 244 a-1, 244 b-1, 244 c-1, 244 d-1, 244e-1 in accordance with blockchain instructions. In such a manner, forexample, the client devices 202, 204, 206, 208 may take advantage ofasynchronous access to the blockchain application layer 210 b ascontrolled by the respective endpoint APIs 210 b-1, 210 b-2, 210 b-3,210 b-4 of the application and services layer 210 a.

According to some embodiments, any or all of the client devices 202,204, 206, 208 may comprise one or more smart mobile phones, such as theiPhone® 8 or a later generation iPhone®, running iOS 10 or a latergeneration of iOS, supporting Location Services. The iPhone® and iOS areproduced by Apple Inc., however, embodiments herein are not limited toany particular portable computing device or smart mobile phone. Forexample, any or all of the client devices 202, 204, 206, 208 may takethe form of a laptop computer, a handheld computer, a palm-sizecomputer, a pocket computer, a palmtop computer, a Personal DigitalAssistant (PDA), a tablet computer, an electronic organizer, a mobilephone, a portable/mobile phone, a feature phone, a smartphone, a tablet,a portable/mobile data terminal, an iPhone®, an iPad®, an iPod®, anApple® Watch (or other “smart” watch), and other portable form-factordevices by any vendor containing at least one Central Processing Unit(CPU) and a wireless communication device (not separately depicted inFIG. 2 ).

According to some embodiments, the client devices 202, 204, 206, 208 mayrun (i.e., execute) mobile device software applications (not shown inFIG. 2 ) that cause the generation and/or output of respective GraphicalUser Interfaces (GUIs; also not shown in FIG. 2 ) that are, for example,defined by the respective applications 212 a-1, 212 a-2, 212 a-3, 212a-4 at the application and services layer 210 a. In some embodiments,the application and services layer 210 a and/or the blockchainapplication layer 210 b may be hosted by one or more servers (notseparately depicted din FIG. 2 ) that are remote from (butcommunicatively coupled to) any or all of the client devices 202, 204,206, 208. According to some embodiments, the application and serviceslayer 210 a may be hosted by a first entity (e.g., that manages orgoverns access to the blockchain application layer 210 b and/or enablesexternal applications to be utilized on the blockchain application layer210 b) on a first device, and the blockchain application layer 210 b maybe hosted by a second entity (e.g., that provides blockchain hostingservices) on a second device.

As a non-limiting example of how the system 200 may be utilized inaccordance with some embodiments, a consumer may utilize the consumerdevice 202 to develop and/or store a consumer profile (e.g., includingPersonally Identifiable Information (PII), payment information, privateinformation, such as Social Security Numbers, legal information, healthinformation, and/or preference information) in first data 244 a-2 storedin a first data store 240 a of the consumer node 212 b-1. The variousledgers 244 a-1, 244 b-1, 244 c-1, 244 d-1, 244 e-1 may be updatedand/or defined to reflect any activity of the consumer, includingestablishing permissions for access to the consumer's profile. Theconsumer may, for example, grant permission to a particular user, suchas an insurance agent or broker, that utilizes the user device 204. Insome embodiments, the agent may utilize the user device 204 to accessthe consumer profile (or portions thereof), as governed by the userapplications 212 a-2 and the user endpoint API 210 b-2. According tosome embodiments, the agent may subscribe to a third-party analysisservice, which may be provided by a third-party operating thethird-party device 208, and may utilize the application and serviceslayer 210 a to (i) subscribe to the third-party service and/or (ii)execute the third-party service on (or against or utilizing) theblockchain (e.g., at least one of the copies of the ledger 244 a-1, 244b-1, 244 c-1, 244 d-1, 244 e-1). The blockchain application layer 210 bmay, in some embodiments and at the direction or initiation of theapplication and services layer 210 a, permit limited access of thethird-party device 208 to the blockchain application layer 210 b.According to some embodiments, the third-party applications 212 a-4 mayreturn information (data, values, etc.) to the user device 204 (e.g., inaccordance with the agent's subscription with the third-party). In someembodiments, the agent may utilize the third-party information and theconsumer profile information to submit a request, query, application,etc. to a particular company utilizing the company device 206. Thecompany device 206 may access the system 200 and may selectivelyactivate and/or execute one or more additional third-party services viathe application and services layer 210 a. Any response, result, oranswer of the company may then, for example, be provided back to theconsumer via the consumer device 202. Any or all such transactions maybe recorded in the blockchain (e.g., the various ledgers 244 a-1, 244b-1, 244 c-1, 244 d-1, 244 e-1) and may, according to the architectureof the system 200, be accomplished asynchronously (e.g., once theconsumer profile is created).

Fewer or more components 202, 204, 206, 208, 210 a-b, 210 a-1, 210 b-1,210 b-2, 210 b-3, 210 b-4, 212 a-1, 212 a-2, 212 a-3, 212 a-4, 212 b-1,212 b-2, 212 b-3, 212 b-4, 212 b-5, 230, 240 a-e, 244 a-1, 244 b-1, 244c-1, 244 d-1, 244 e-1, 244 a-2, 244 b-2, 244 c-2, 244 d-2, 244 e-2and/or various configurations of the depicted components 202, 204, 206,208, 210 a-b, 210 a-1, 210 b-1, 210 b-2, 210 b-3, 210 b-4, 212 a-1, 212a-2, 212 a-3, 212 a-4, 212 b-1, 212 b-2, 212 b-3, 212 b-4, 212 b-5, 230,240 a-e, 244 a-1, 244 b-1, 244 c-1, 244 d-1, 244 e-1, 244 a-2, 244 b-2,244 c-2, 244 d-2, 244 e-2 may be included in the system 200 withoutdeviating from the scope of embodiments described herein. In someembodiments, the components 202, 204, 206, 208, 210 a-b, 210 a-1, 210b-1, 210 b-2, 210 b-3, 210 b-4, 212 a-1, 212 a-2, 212 a-3, 212 a-4, 212b-1, 212 b-2, 212 b-3, 212 b-4, 212 b-5, 230, 240 a-e, 244 a-1, 244 b-1,244 c-1, 244 d-1, 244 e-1, 244 a-2, 244 b-2, 244 c-2, 244 d-2, 244 e-2may be similar in configuration and/or functionality to similarly namedand/or numbered components as described herein. In some embodiments, thesystem 200 (and/or portions thereof) may comprise an asynchronousAPI-driven external application services for blockchain program, system,and/or platform programmed and/or otherwise configured to execute,conduct, and/or facilitate the methods 400, 500, 600, 800, 900 of FIG. 4, FIG. 5 , FIG. 6 , FIG. 8 , and/or FIG. 9 herein, and/or portions orcombinations thereof.

Turning now to FIG. 3 , a block diagram of system 300 according to someembodiments is shown. In some embodiments, the system 300 may comprise asystem that enables asynchronous customer profile sharing in conjunctionwith implementation of blockchain distributed ledger functionality. Thesystem 300 may comprise, for example, a consumer device 302 and/or auser device 304, each in communication with one or more of a remotedevice layer 310 a, a web application layer 310 b, and/or a blockchainapplication layer 310 c (e.g., that may comprise an application serverlayer 310 d and/or a blockchain layer 310 e). According to someembodiments, the consumer device 302 and/or the user device 304 maycommunicate with one or more remote processing devices, such asrespective web servers 312 b-1, 312 b-2, application servers 312 d-1,312 d-2, and/or blockchain nodes, such as a consumer node 312 e-1 and/ora user node 312 e-2. In some embodiments, the respective nodes 312 e-1,312 e-2 may be in communication with (e.g., via the blockchain layer 310e) a curator node 312 e-3 that may, for example, manage and/orcoordinate the signature, authentication, and/or functionality of theblockchain layer 310 e. According to some embodiments, the system 300may comprise and/or the consumer device 302 and/or the user device 304may be in communication with (directly or indirectly) one or moredatabases 340 a-c.

In some embodiments, the consumer device 302 and/or the user device 304may be in communication with and/or define the remote device layer 310 avia which respective applications, such as a consumer application 342a-1 and/or a user application 342 a-2, may be operable to accept inputfrom and/or cause output via one or more of the respective consumerdevice 302 and/or the user device 304. The applications 342 a-1, 342 a-2may communicate with the respective web servers 312 b-1, 312 b-2, forexample, to provide for authentication and/or transaction implementationof the consumer device 302 and/or the user device 304. Data 344 a-cstored in the databases 340 a-c may be utilized, for example, toauthenticate credentials, verify object states, identify operationalthresholds and/or logic, execute requested transactions, etc. Accordingto some embodiments, consumer data 344 a may be accessed to authenticatecredentials provided by the consumer device 302, for example, and/oruser data 344 b may be accessed to authenticate credentials provided bythe user device 304. According to some embodiments, curator data 344 cmay be accessed to operate the blockchain layer 310 e by applyingblockchain logic and/or rules to selectively validate blockchaintransactions that meet the specified thresholds/criteria.

According to some embodiments, functional operation of the system 300may comprise the consumer device 302 accepting and/or identifyingconsumer credentials (not shown) as input into the consumer application342 a-1 of the remote device layer 310 a. In some embodiments, theconsumer application 342 a-1 may initiate communications with a firstweb server 312 b-1 of the web application layer 310 b and pass theconsumer credentials (or one or more indications thereof) to the firstweb server 312 b-1 as a first login request. According to someembodiments, the first web server 312 b-1 may generate a login request,such as a Hyper-Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP) POST request, and send therequest to a first application server 312 d-1. In some embodiments, therequest may be sent to and/or received by a first authorization moduleor API 344 d-1 of the first application server 312 d-1 (in theapplication server layer 310 d). The first authorization API 344 d-1may, in response to receiving the request, for example, query a first orconsumer database 340 a and/or the consumer data 344 a thereof toauthenticate the consumer credentials. In some embodiments, upon asuccessful return and/or match of the consumer data 344 a, the firstauthorization API 344 d-1 (and/or the first application server 312 d-1)may return an authentication success response (and/or additional lookupdata) that may comprise or define a cryptographic string, such as abearer token (e.g., a JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) Web Token(JWT)). In the case of a failed authentication (e.g., invalid consumercredentials) a failure response may be returned. In either case, theresponse may be returned by the first authorization API 344 d-1 (and/orthe first application server 312 d-1) to the first web server 312 b-1(e.g., the web application layer 310 b) and on to the consumerapplication 342 a-1 (e.g., the remote device layer 310 a). In the casethat the response indicates a success, the consumer may be successfullylogged into the consumer application 342 a-1. In the case of a failureresponse, the consumer may be notified of the failure and/or given theopportunity to try again.

In some embodiments, once the consumer is logged into the system 300(and/or the consumer application 342 a-1 thereof) the consumer mayinitiate a transaction by providing and/or defining transaction inputvia the consumer device 302. In the non-limiting example case ofconsumer profile creation and sharing to allow asynchronouscommunications, the consumer device 302 may receive and/or identifyinput defining a profile for the consumer (or a portion thereof, such asPII, preferences, etc.). According to some embodiments, the consumerapplication 342 a-1 may (in response to the receiving of the profileinput) generate a “create” request that is passed to the first webserver 312 b-1. In some embodiments, the first web server 312 b-1 maygenerate a corresponding create request, such as an HTTP POST request,that is forwarded to a first REST API 344 d-2 of the first applicationserver 312 d-1. The first REST API 344 d-2 may, in response to receivingthe transaction (e.g., “create”) request, for example, call the consumernode 312 e-1 (e.g., via a Remote Procedure Call (RPC)) of the blockchainlayer 310 e. According to some embodiments, the transaction request maybe received by a first ledger application 344 e-1 stored and/or executedon the consumer node 312 e-1. The first ledger application 344 e-1 may,for example, execute chaincode (not separately shown in FIG. 3 ) and/ormanage distributed ledger verifications and communications with eitheror both of the user node 312 e-2 (e.g., having a second ledgerapplication 344 e-2) and the curator node 312 e-3 (e.g., having a thirdledger application 344 e-3). Information indicative of the “create”transaction may be stored, once signed and/or verified by the firstledger application 344 e-1 and/or by the curator node 312 e-3 (and/orthe third ledger application 344 e-3 thereof), for example, in any orall of the nodes 312 e-1, 312 e-2, 312 e-3 and/or in any or all of thedatabases 340 a-c, such as in the consumer data 344 a of the firstdatabase 340 a.

According to some embodiments, the blockchain layer 310 e (e.g., theconsumer node 312 e-1 and/or the curator node 312 e-3) may return anindication of successful blockchain transaction verification and/orentry, by returning a transaction hash to the first application server312 d-1 and/or to the first REST API 344 d-2 thereof. The firstapplication server 312 d-1 and/or the first REST API 344 d-2 may then,for example, forward the transaction hash to the first web server 312b-1, which may forward or pass the transaction hash to the consumerapplication 342 a-1. In such a manner, for example, the consumer maysecurely define and/or store data stored in the blockchain applicationlayer 310 c. In some embodiments, and continuing the non-limitingexample of a consumer profile described herein, such information mayinclude personal information (e.g., PII), location information, healthinformation, asset information (e.g., vehicle, structure, and/or otherobject identification and/or characteristic data), financial information(e.g., gross revenue from a business), historical information, etc.According to some embodiments, the information may include permissionand/or sharing information, such as an indication of a user (e.g., auser name, identifier number, address, e-mail, etc.) and an indicationof a level of data access or permissions granted by the consumer to thespecific user. In such a manner, for example, the consumer may not onlydevelop a remotely stored data profile, but may readily share or grantaccess to the profile (or portions thereof) to one or more other usersof the system 300.

In some embodiments, functional operation of the system 300 may comprisethe user device 304 accepting and/or identifying user credentials (notshown) as input into the user application 342 a-2 of the remote devicelayer 310 a. In some embodiments, the user application 342 a-2 mayinitiate communications with a second web server 312 b-2 of the webapplication layer 310 b and pass the user credentials (or one or moreindications thereof) to the second web server 312 b-2 as a second loginrequest. According to some embodiments, the second web server 312 b-2may generate a login request, such as an HTTP POST request, and send therequest to a second application server 312 d-2. In some embodiments, therequest may be sent to and/or received by a second authorization moduleor API 344 d-3 of the second application server 312 d-2 (in theapplication server layer 310 d). The second authorization API 344 d-3may, in response to receiving the request, for example, query a secondor user database 340 b and/or the user data 344 b thereof toauthenticate the user credentials. In some embodiments, upon asuccessful return and/or match of the user data 344 b, the secondauthorization API 344 d-3 (and/or the second application server 312 d-2)may return an authentication success response (and/or additional lookupdata) that may comprise or define a cryptographic string, such as abearer token (e.g., a JWT). In the case of a failed authentication(e.g., invalid user credentials) a failure response may be returned. Ineither case, the response may be returned by the second authorizationAPI 344 d-3 (and/or the second application server 312 d-2) to the secondweb server 312 b-2 (e.g., the web application layer 310 b) and on to theuser application 342 a-2 (e.g., the remote device layer 310 a). In thecase that the response indicates a success, the user may be successfullylogged into the user application 342 a-2. In the case of a failureresponse, the user may be notified of the failure and/or given theopportunity to try again.

In some embodiments, once the user is logged into the system 300 (and/orthe user application 342 a-2 thereof) the user may initiate atransaction by providing and/or defining transaction input via the userdevice 304. In the non-limiting example case of consumer profilecreation and sharing to allow asynchronous communications, the userdevice 304 may receive and/or identify input defining a request toaccess a profile for a consumer (or a portion thereof) or, for example,a request to retrieve all shared consumer profiles associated with theuser. According to some embodiments, the user application 342 a-2 may(in response to the receiving of the access request) generate an accessrequest that is passed to the second web server 312 b-2. In someembodiments, the second web server 312 b-2 may generate a correspondingaccess request, such as an HTTP POST request, that is forwarded to asecond REST API 344 d-4 of the second application server 312 d-2. Thesecond REST API 344 d-4 may, in response to receiving the transaction(e.g., access) request, for example, call the user node 312 e-2 (e.g.,via an RPC) of the blockchain layer 310 e. According to someembodiments, the transaction request may be received by the secondledger application 344 e-2 stored and/or executed on the user node 312e-2. The second ledger application 344 e-2 may, for example, executechaincode (not separately shown in FIG. 3 ) and/or manage distributedledger verifications and communications with either or both of theconsumer node 312 e-1 (e.g., having the first ledger application 344e-1) and the curator node 312 e-3 (e.g., having the third ledgerapplication 344 e-3). Information indicative of the access transactionmay be stored, once signed and/or verified by the second ledgerapplication 344 e-2 and/or by the curator node 312 e-3 (and/or the thirdledger application 344 e-3 thereof), for example, in any or all of thenodes 312 e-1, 312 e-2, 312 e-3 and/or in any or all of the databases340 a-c, such as in the user data 344 b of the second database 340 b.

According to some embodiments, the blockchain layer 310 e (e.g., theuser node 312 e-2 and/or the curator node 312 e-3) may return anindication of successful blockchain transaction verification and/orentry and/or an indication of identified shared consumer profiles, byreturning a transaction hash and/or a listing of consumer profile statesto the second application server 312 d-2 and/or to the second REST API344 d-4 thereof. The second application server 312 d-2 and/or the secondREST API 344 d-4 may then, for example, forward the transaction hashand/or the listing of states to the second web server 312 b-2, which mayforward or pass the transaction hash and/or the listing of states to theuser application 342 a-2. According to some embodiments, the userapplication 342 a-2 may utilize the data returned from the blockchainapplication layer 310 c to output information indicative of the sharedconsumer profiles via the user device 304. In such a manner, forexample, the user may securely access selectively shared data stored inthe blockchain application layer 310 c. In some embodiments, andcontinuing the non-limiting example of a consumer profile describedherein, the user device 304 may be owned and/or operated by an agent,representative, employee, and/or other party, thereby enabling theconsumer (e.g. utilizing the consumer device 302) to readily andsecurely share access to their profile information (or portions thereof)with any number of desired agents, vendors, companies, etc. In someembodiments, the user device 304 may be utilized to provide additionalsharing and/or profile distribution, such as in the case that an agentshares the consumer profile with a plurality of companies. According tosome embodiments, the ability to sub-share may comprise a specificpermission granted (or denied) by the consumer with respect to theirprofile data.

Fewer or more components 302, 304, 310 a-e, 312 b-1, 312 b-2, 312 d-1,312 d-2, 312 e-1, 312 e-2, 312 e-3, 340 a-c, 342 a-1, 342 a-2, 344 a-c,344 d-1, 344 d-2, 344 d-3, 344 d-4, 344 e-1, 344 e-2, 344 e-3 and/orvarious configurations of the depicted components 302, 304, 310 a-e, 312b-1, 312 b-2, 312 d-1, 312 d-2, 312 e-1, 312 e-2, 312 e-3, 340 a-c, 342a-1, 342 a-2, 344 a-c, 344 d-1, 344 d-2, 344 d-3, 344 d-4, 344 e-1, 344e-2, 344 e-3 may be included in the system 300 without deviating fromthe scope of embodiments described herein. In some embodiments, thecomponents 302, 304, 310 a-e, 312 b-1, 312 b-2, 312 d-1, 312 d-2, 312e-1, 312 e-2, 312 e-3, 340 a-c, 342 a-1, 342 a-2, 344 a-c, 344 d-1, 344d-2, 344 d-3, 344 d-4, 344 e-1, 344 e-2, 344 e-3 may be similar inconfiguration and/or functionality to similarly named and/or numberedcomponents as described herein. In some embodiments, the system 300(and/or portions thereof) may comprise an asynchronous API-drivenexternal application services for blockchain program, system, and/orplatform programmed and/or otherwise configured to execute, conduct,and/or facilitate the methods 400, 500, 600, 800, 900 of FIG. 4 , FIG. 5, FIG. 6 , FIG. 8 , and/or FIG. 9 herein, and/or portions orcombinations thereof.

III. Asynchronous API-Driven Application Services for Blockchain Methods

Referring now to FIG. 4 , a flow diagram of a method 400 according tosome embodiments is shown. In some embodiments, the method 400 may beperformed and/or implemented by and/or otherwise associated with one ormore specialized and/or specially-programmed computers (e.g., one ormore of the consumer devices 102 a-n, 202, 302, user devices 104 a-n,204, 304, 904, company devices 106 a-n, 206, third-party devices 208,708, 908, the controller devices and/or layers 110, 210 a-b, 310 a-e,710 a-e, 910 d-e, and/or the apparatus 1010 of FIG. 1 , FIG. 2 , FIG. 3, FIG. 7 , FIG. 9 , and/or FIG. 10 herein), computer terminals, computerservers, computer systems and/or networks, and/or any combinationsthereof (e.g., by one or more multi-threaded and/or multi-coreprocessing units of an asynchronous API-driven external applicationservices for blockchain processing system). In some embodiments, themethod 400 may be embodied in, facilitated by, and/or otherwiseassociated with various input mechanisms and/or interfaces (such as theinterface 1020 of FIG. 10 herein). According to some embodiments, themethod 400 may embody a “create” flow that comprises a non-limitingexample of how a consumer may create a consumer profile record (e.g.,for sharing with other users, companies, third-parties, etc.).

The process diagrams and flow diagrams described herein do notnecessarily imply a fixed order to any depicted actions, steps, and/orprocedures, and embodiments may generally be performed in any order thatis practicable unless otherwise and specifically noted. While the orderof actions, steps, and/or procedures described herein is generally notfixed, in some embodiments, actions, steps, and/or procedures may bespecifically performed in the order listed, depicted, and/or describedand/or may be performed in response to any previously listed, depicted,and/or described action, step, and/or procedure. Any of the processesand methods described herein may be performed and/or facilitated byhardware, software (including microcode), firmware, or any combinationthereof. For example, a storage medium (e.g., a hard disk, Random AccessMemory (RAM) device, cache memory device, Universal Serial Bus (USB)mass storage device, and/or Digital Video Disk (DVD); e.g., thememory/data storage devices 140, 240 a-e, 340 a-c, 740 a-c, 940, 1040,1140 a-e of FIG. 1 , FIG. 2 , FIG. 3 , FIG. 7 , FIG. 9 , FIG. 10 , FIG.11A, FIG. 11B, FIG. 11C, FIG. 11D, and/or FIG. 11E herein) may storethereon instructions that when executed by a machine (such as acomputerized processor) result in performance according to any one ormore of the embodiments described herein.

In some embodiments, the method 400 may comprise receiving (e.g., by anelectronic processing device of an application server and/or from amobile application of a mobile electronic device of a consumer) arequest to create a new consumer or customer profile, at 402. A consumer(e.g., a customer or potential customer) may utilize the mobileelectronic device, for example, to input a login/user name or ID (e.g.,an account identifier, consumer identifier, organization identifier,etc.), password, passphrase, biometric identifier, etc. In someembodiments, the input credentials may comprise and/or define a tokenthat is passed to a User Interface (UI) application node service incommunication with the mobile application being executed on the mobileelectronic device. In some embodiments, the UI application service mayforward the login request to a login API of an application server bygenerating an HTTP POST request that comprises the login credentials asJSON input. According to some embodiments, the token/credentials may beencrypted and/or compressed and/or may comprise decryption and/ordecompression keys, data, hashes, etc. In some embodiments, the requestmay comprise data descriptive of the consumer/customer, such as PII,object ownership data, object characteristic data (e.g., year built,model year, miles driven, construction type, location, etc.), consumerpreference data, and/or data permissions and/or security information(e.g., a listing of identifiers indicative of one or more other partiesthat are granted permission to access and/or edit the consumer's data).

According to some embodiments, the method 400 may comprise determining(e.g., by the electronic processing device of the application server)whether the token is validated, at 404. In response to the receiving ofthe request to create the new consumer profile, for example, theelectronic processing device may query a database (e.g., a securitydatabase) or other data store to identify and/or compare data stored inrelation to the consumer's account, identifier, address, etc. Theconsumer's input may be compared, for example, to pre-stored and/orspecially generated data (e.g., metadata and/or a specially generatedpasscode) to identify a match. In the case that the input does notmatch, a challenge may be transmitted, communications with the consumermay be terminated, and/or a login failure or error message may beprovided to the consumer, at 406. In the case that the input matches thepre-stored/generated data, the identity and/or authorization of theconsumer may be inferred and the method 400 may continue to, e.g.,provide a successful login token back to the UI application nodeservice.

In some embodiments, the method 400 may comprise fetching (e.g., by theelectronic processing device of the application server) a ledger ID foran appropriate organization ID, at 408. One or more identifiers and/orother data stored in relation to the login credentials and/or requestmay be identified and/or retrieved, for example, by directing arelational query to a consumer database, e.g., stored by anon-transitory computer-readable memory device in communication with theelectronic processing device. In some embodiments, the method 400 maycomprise generating (e.g., by the electronic processing device of theapplication server) an RPC call to a blockchain node to create the newconsumer profile, at 410. The organization ID and/or the token may beembedded in and/or provided with the RPC call, for example, to providecredentialing validation and node selection data for access to theblockchain. The organization ID may be utilized to direct the RPC callto the appropriate (e.g., assigned) node in the blockchain, for example,and the login success token may be utilized by the blockchain system toverify access permissions.

According to some embodiments, the method 400 may comprise determining(e.g., by the electronic processing device of the blockchain node)whether the consumer profile already exists, at 412. In response to thereceiving of the request to create the new consumer profile, forexample, the electronic processing device may query a database (e.g., aconsumer profile database) or other data store to identify and/orcompare data stored in relation to the consumer's account, identifier,address, etc. The consumer's input may be compared, for example, topre-stored data to identify a match. In the case that the input matchesalready stored/existing data, a failure or error message may be providedto the consumer that indicates that the consumer profile (or requestedportions thereof) already exists, at 414. In the case that the inputdoes not match the pre-stored data, it may be inferred that the input isnew and the method 400 may continue to, e.g., provide an indication of asuccessful duplicate data check back to the UI application node service.

In some embodiments, the method 400 may comprise creating (e.g., by theelectronic processing device of the blockchain node) a new transactionat the blockchain node, at 416. The blockchain node associated withand/or assigned to the consumer may (e.g., based on the organization ID;e.g., for multi-tenancy nodes), for example, execute a local copy ofchaincode instructions to perform blockchain data storage and/orverification tasks in accordance with stored ledger/blockchain rules,thresholds, and/or logic. According to some embodiments, the creating ofthe new transaction may comprise storing a copy of any or all datadescriptive of the transaction at the consumer's blockchain node (e.g.,a first local copy of the transaction data). In some embodiments, datadescriptive of the transaction may be communicated to one or more othernodes for verification, validation, signature, storage, etc.

According to some embodiments, the method 400 may comprise sending(e.g., by the electronic processing device of the consumer's blockchainnode) the new transaction to a curator node for signature, at 418. Thecurator node may, for example, comprise a blockchain management nodethat interrogates a plurality of trusted nodes to verify newtransactions. In some embodiments, the curator node may receive the newtransaction data (or indications thereof) from the consumer's blockchainnode and may execute a local copy of chaincode instructions and/orblockchain management instructions to perform various tasks triggered bythe data received from the consumer's blockchain node.

In some embodiments, the method 400 may comprise determining (e.g., byan electronic processing device of the curator node) whether thetransaction is validated, at 420. In response to the receiving of therequest to sign the new transaction, for example, the electronicprocessing device of the curator node may query one or more nodes otherthan the consumer's node to verify the permissions and/or logic-basedappropriateness of the new transaction as compared to distributed copiesof the blockchain stored with respect to the consumer (e.g., keyed onthe organization ID). Each queried node may, in some embodiments,compare the new transaction data to pre-stored rules and/or storedblockchain copies to identify a contextual appropriateness of the newtransaction. The new transaction data may be compared to one or moreobject states defined by previous chaincode transactions stored in therespective distributed copies of the ledger/blockchain, for example, toverify that the new transaction is compatible with the identifiedstates. In the case that the new transaction does not correspond to theidentified states and/or stored data, a validation failure or errormessage may be provided back to the curator node and/or forwarded backto the consumer, at 422. In the case that the new transaction isdetermined to be compatible with the stored data, the appropriateness ofthe new transaction may be inferred and the method 400 may continue by,e.g., having the curator node sign the transaction, at 424. In someembodiments, upon signature/validation by the curator node (e.g., due topositive results being returned from each queried trusted node; at 424)a copy of the new transaction and/or a blockchain entry descriptive ofthe new transaction may be copied to any or all trusted nodes (e.g., aplurality of additional local copies of the transaction data) to updatethe distributed ledger, at 426. The new transaction may be recorded inaccordance with the blockchain instructions executed by the curatornode, for example, by distributing and storing a copy of a data blockdescriptive of the new transaction to each of the curator node, theconsumer node, and/or any or all other trusted nodes in the blockchainsystem. According to some embodiments, the method 400 may comprisereturning an indication of a successful new transaction and/or atransaction hash back to the UI application node service (e.g., to theconsumer's device). In such a manner, for example, the consumer mayreadily and securely provide new data to create a new customer profilethat may be utilized to facilitate asynchronous communications withrespect to the profile, as described herein.

Turning now to FIG. 5 , a flow diagram of a method 500 according to someembodiments is shown. In some embodiments, the method 500 may beperformed and/or implemented by and/or otherwise associated with one ormore specialized and/or specially-programmed computers (e.g., one ormore of the consumer devices 102 a-n, 202, 302, user devices 104 a-n,204, 304, 904, company devices 106 a-n, 206, third-party devices 208,708, 908, the controller devices and/or layers 110, 210 a-b, 310 a-e,710 a-e, 910 d-e, and/or the apparatus 1010 of FIG. 1 , FIG. 2 , FIG. 3, FIG. 7 , FIG. 9 , and/or FIG. 10 herein), computer terminals, computerservers, computer systems and/or networks, and/or any combinationsthereof (e.g., by one or more multi-threaded and/or multi-coreprocessing units of an asynchronous API-driven external applicationservices for blockchain processing system). In some embodiments, themethod 500 may be embodied in, facilitated by, and/or otherwiseassociated with various input mechanisms and/or interfaces (such as theinterface 1020 of FIG. 10 herein). According to some embodiments, themethod 500 may embody an “enhance” flow that comprises a non-limitingexample of how a consumer may update a consumer profile record (e.g.,for sharing with other users, companies, third-parties, etc.).

In some embodiments, the method 500 may comprise receiving (e.g., by anelectronic processing device of an application server and/or from amobile application of a mobile electronic device of a consumer) arequest to enhance a consumer or customer profile, at 502. A consumer(e.g., a customer or potential customer) may utilize the mobileelectronic device, for example, to input a login/user name or ID (e.g.,an account identifier, consumer identifier, organization identifier,etc.), password, passphrase, biometric identifier, etc. In someembodiments, the input credentials may comprise and/or define a tokenthat is passed to a UI application node service in communication withthe mobile application being executed on the mobile electronic device.In some embodiments, the UI application service may forward the loginrequest to a login API of an application server by generating an HTTPPOST request that comprises the login credentials as JSON input.According to some embodiments, the token/credentials may be encryptedand/or compressed and/or may comprise decryption and/or decompressionkeys, data, hashes, etc. In some embodiments, the request may comprisedata descriptive of the consumer/customer, such as PII, object ownershipdata, object characteristic data (e.g., year built, model year, milesdriven, construction type, location, etc.), consumer preference data,and/or data permissions and/or security information (e.g., a listing ofidentifiers indicative of one or more other parties that are grantedpermission to access and/or edit the consumer's data).

According to some embodiments, the method 500 may comprise determining(e.g., by the electronic processing device of the application server)whether the token is validated, at 504. In response to the receiving ofthe request to enhance the consumer profile, for example, the electronicprocessing device may query a database (e.g., a security database) orother data store to identify and/or compare data stored in relation tothe consumer's account, identifier, address, etc. The consumer's inputmay be compared, for example, to pre-stored and/or specially generateddata (e.g., metadata and/or a specially generated passcode) to identifya match. In the case that the input does not match, a challenge may betransmitted, communications with the consumer may be terminated, and/ora login failure or error message may be provided to the consumer, at506. In the case that the input matches the pre-stored/generated data,the identity and/or authorization of the consumer may be inferred andthe method 500 may continue to, e.g., provide a successful login tokenback to the UI application node service.

In some embodiments, the method 500 may comprise fetching (e.g., by theelectronic processing device of the application server) a ledger ID foran appropriate organization ID, at 508. One or more identifiers and/orother data stored in relation to the login credentials and/or requestmay be identified and/or retrieved, for example, by directing arelational query to a consumer database, e.g., stored by anon-transitory computer-readable memory device in communication with theelectronic processing device. In some embodiments, the method 500 maycomprise generating (e.g., by the electronic processing device of theapplication server) an RPC call to a blockchain node to enhance theconsumer profile, at 510. The organization ID and/or the token may beembedded in and/or provided with the RPC call, for example, to providecredentialing validation and node selection data for access to theblockchain. The organization ID may be utilized to direct the RPC callto the appropriate (e.g., assigned; e.g., multi-tenancy nodes) node inthe blockchain, for example, and the login success token may be utilizedby the blockchain system to verify access permissions.

According to some embodiments, the method 500 may comprise determining(e.g., by the electronic processing device of the blockchain node)whether the consumer profile already exists, at 512. In response to thereceiving of the request to enhance the consumer profile, for example,the electronic processing device may query a database (e.g., a consumerprofile database) or other data store to identify and/or compare datastored in relation to the consumer's account, identifier, address, etc.The consumer's input may be compared, for example, to pre-stored data toidentify a match. In the case that the input does not match alreadystored/existing data, a failure or error message may be provided to theconsumer that indicates that the consumer profile (or requested enhancedportions thereof) do not exist, at 514. In the case that the input doesmatch the pre-stored data, it may be inferred that the enhancement inputis properly correlated to existing data and the method 500 may continueto, e.g., provide an indication of a successful existing data check backto the UI application node service.

In some embodiments, the method 500 may comprise creating (e.g., by theelectronic processing device of the blockchain node) an enhancetransaction at the blockchain node, at 516. The blockchain nodeassociated with and/or assigned to the consumer may (e.g., based on theorganization ID; e.g., for multi-tenancy nodes), for example, execute alocal copy of chaincode instructions to perform blockchain data storageand/or verification tasks in accordance with stored ledger/blockchainrules, thresholds, and/or logic. According to some embodiments, thecreating of the enhance transaction may comprise storing a copy of anyor all data descriptive of the transaction at the consumer's blockchainnode (e.g., a first local copy of the transaction data). In someembodiments, data descriptive of the transaction may be communicated toone or more other nodes for verification, validation, signature,storage, etc.

According to some embodiments, the method 500 may comprise sending(e.g., by the electronic processing device of the consumer's blockchainnode) the enhance transaction to a curator node for signature, at 518.The curator node may, for example, comprise a blockchain management nodethat interrogates a plurality of trusted nodes to verify enhancetransactions. In some embodiments, the curator node may receive theenhance transaction data (or indications thereof) from the consumer'sblockchain node and may execute a local copy of chaincode instructionsand/or blockchain management instructions to perform various taskstriggered by the data received from the consumer's blockchain node.

In some embodiments, the method 500 may comprise determining (e.g., byan electronic processing device of the curator node) whether thetransaction is validated, at 520. In response to the receiving of therequest to sign the enhance transaction, for example, the electronicprocessing device of the curator node may query one or more nodes otherthan the consumer's node to verify the permissions and/or logic-basedappropriateness of the enhance transaction as compared to distributedcopies of the blockchain stored with respect to the consumer (e.g.,keyed on the organization ID). Each queried node may, in someembodiments, compare the enhance transaction data to pre-stored rulesand/or stored blockchain copies to identify a contextual appropriatenessof the enhance transaction. The enhance transaction data may be comparedto one or more object states defined by previous chaincode transactionsstored in the respective distributed copies of the ledger/blockchain,for example, to verify that the enhance transaction is compatible withthe identified states. In the case that the enhance transaction does notcorrespond to the identified states and/or stored data, a validationfailure or error message may be provided back to the curator node and/orforwarded back to the consumer, at 522. In the case that the enhancetransaction is determined to be compatible with the stored data, theappropriateness of the enhance transaction may be inferred and themethod 500 may continue by, e.g., having the curator node sign thetransaction, at 524. In some embodiments, upon signature/validation bythe curator node (e.g., due to positive results being returned from eachqueried trusted node; at 524) a copy of the enhance transaction and/or ablockchain entry descriptive of the enhance transaction may be copied toany or all trusted nodes (e.g., a plurality of additional local copiesof the transaction data) to update the distributed ledger, at 526. Theenhance transaction may be recorded in accordance with the blockchaininstructions executed by the curator node, for example, by distributingand storing a copy of a data block descriptive of the enhancetransaction to each of the curator node, the consumer node, and/or anyor all other trusted nodes in the blockchain system. According to someembodiments, the method 500 may comprise returning an indication of asuccessful enhance transaction and/or a transaction hash back to the UIapplication node service (e.g., to the consumer's device). In such amanner, for example, the consumer may readily and securely provideupdated or enhanced data to modify an existing customer profile that maybe utilized to facilitate asynchronous communications with respect tothe profile, as described herein.

Referring now to FIG. 6 , a flow diagram of a method 600 according tosome embodiments is shown. In some embodiments, the method 600 may beperformed and/or implemented by and/or otherwise associated with one ormore specialized and/or specially-programmed computers (e.g., one ormore of the consumer devices 102 a-n, 202, 302, user devices 104 a-n,204, 304, 904, company devices 106 a-n, 206, third-party devices 208,708, 908, the controller devices and/or layers 110, 210 a-b, 310 a-e,710 a-e, 910 d-e, and/or the apparatus 1010 of FIG. 1 , FIG. 2 , FIG. 3, FIG. 7 , FIG. 9 , and/or FIG. 10 herein), computer terminals, computerservers, computer systems and/or networks, and/or any combinationsthereof (e.g., by one or more multi-threaded and/or multi-coreprocessing units of an asynchronous API-driven external applicationservices for blockchain processing system). In some embodiments, themethod 600 may be embodied in, facilitated by, and/or otherwiseassociated with various input mechanisms and/or interfaces (such as theinterface 1020 of FIG. 10 herein). According to some embodiments, themethod 600 may embody a “share” flow that comprises a non-limitingexample of how a consumer may share a consumer profile record (e.g.,with other users, companies, third-parties, etc.).

In some embodiments, the method 600 may comprise receiving (e.g., by anelectronic processing device of an application server and/or from amobile application of a mobile electronic device of a consumer) arequest to share a consumer or customer profile, at 602. A consumer(e.g., a customer or potential customer) may utilize the mobileelectronic device, for example, to input a login/user name or ID (e.g.,an account identifier, consumer identifier, organization identifier,etc.), password, passphrase, biometric identifier, etc. In someembodiments, the input credentials may comprise and/or define a tokenthat is passed to a UI application node service in communication withthe mobile application being executed on the mobile electronic device.In some embodiments, the UI application service may forward the loginrequest to a login API of an application server by generating an HTTPPOST request that comprises the login credentials as JSON input.According to some embodiments, the token/credentials may be encryptedand/or compressed and/or may comprise decryption and/or decompressionkeys, data, hashes, etc. In some embodiments, the request may comprisedata descriptive of the consumer/customer, such as PII, object ownershipdata, object characteristic data (e.g., year built, model year, milesdriven, construction type, location, etc.), consumer preference data,and/or data permissions and/or security information (e.g., a listing ofidentifiers indicative of one or more other parties that are grantedpermission to access and/or edit the consumer's data).

According to some embodiments, the method 600 may comprise determining(e.g., by the electronic processing device of the application server)whether the token is validated, at 604. In response to the receiving ofthe request to share the consumer profile, for example, the electronicprocessing device may query a database (e.g., a security database) orother data store to identify and/or compare data stored in relation tothe consumer's account, identifier, address, etc. The consumer's inputmay be compared, for example, to pre-stored and/or specially generateddata (e.g., metadata and/or a specially generated passcode) to identifya match. In the case that the input does not match, a challenge may betransmitted, communications with the consumer may be terminated, and/ora login failure or error message may be provided to the consumer, at606. In the case that the input matches the pre-stored/generated data,the identity and/or authorization of the consumer may be inferred andthe method 500 may continue to, e.g., provide a successful login tokenback to the UI application node service.

In some embodiments, the method 600 may comprise fetching (e.g., by theelectronic processing device of the application server) a ledger ID foran appropriate organization ID, at 608. One or more identifiers and/orother data stored in relation to the login credentials and/or requestmay be identified and/or retrieved, for example, by directing arelational query to a consumer database, e.g., stored by anon-transitory computer-readable memory device in communication with theelectronic processing device. In some embodiments, the method 600 maycomprise generating (e.g., by the electronic processing device of theapplication server) an RPC call to a blockchain node to share theconsumer profile, at 610. The organization ID and/or the token may beembedded in and/or provided with the RPC call, for example, to providecredentialing validation and node selection data for access to theblockchain. The organization ID may be utilized to direct the RPC callto the appropriate (e.g., assigned; e.g., for multi-tenancy nodes) nodein the blockchain, for example, and the login success token may beutilized by the blockchain system to verify access permissions.

According to some embodiments, the method 600 may comprise determining(e.g., by the electronic processing device of the blockchain node)whether the share of the consumer profile already exists, at 612. Inresponse to the receiving of the request to share the consumer profile,for example, the electronic processing device may query a database(e.g., a consumer profile database) or other data store to identifyand/or compare data stored in relation to the consumer's account,identifier, address, etc. The consumer's input may be compared, forexample, to pre-stored data to identify a match. In the case that theinput matches already stored/existing data, a failure or error messagemay be provided to the consumer that indicates that the share of theconsumer profile (or requested shared portions thereof) already exist,at 614. In the case that the input does not match the pre-stored data,it may be inferred that the share of the profile does not already existand the method 600 may continue to, e.g., provide an indication of asuccessful existing data check back to the UI application node service.

In some embodiments, the method 600 may comprise creating (e.g., by theelectronic processing device of the blockchain node) a share transactionat the blockchain node, at 616. The blockchain node associated withand/or assigned to the consumer may (e.g., based on the organization ID;e.g., for multi-tenancy nodes), for example, execute a local copy ofchaincode instructions to perform blockchain data storage and/orverification tasks in accordance with stored ledger/blockchain rules,thresholds, and/or logic. According to some embodiments, the creating ofthe share transaction may comprise storing a copy of any or all datadescriptive of the transaction at the consumer's blockchain node (e.g.,a first local copy of the transaction data). In some embodiments, datadescriptive of the transaction may be communicated to one or more othernodes for verification, validation, signature, storage, etc.

According to some embodiments, the method 600 may comprise sending(e.g., by the electronic processing device of the consumer's blockchainnode) the share transaction to a curator node for signature, at 618. Thecurator node may, for example, comprise a blockchain management nodethat interrogates a plurality of trusted nodes to verify sharetransactions. In some embodiments, the curator node may receive theshare transaction data (or indications thereof) from the consumer'sblockchain node and may execute a local copy of chaincode instructionsand/or blockchain management instructions to perform various taskstriggered by the data received from the consumer's blockchain node.

In some embodiments, the method 600 may comprise determining (e.g., byan electronic processing device of the curator node) whether thetransaction is validated, at 620. In response to the receiving of therequest to sign the share transaction, for example, the electronicprocessing device of the curator node may query one or more nodes otherthan the consumer's node to verify the permissions and/or logic-basedappropriateness of the share transaction as compared to distributedcopies of the blockchain stored with respect to the consumer (e.g.,keyed on the organization ID). Each queried node may, in someembodiments, compare the share transaction data to pre-stored rulesand/or stored blockchain copies to identify a contextual appropriatenessof the share transaction. The share transaction data may be compared toone or more object states defined by previous chaincode transactionsstored in the respective distributed copies of the ledger/blockchain,for example, to verify that the share transaction is compatible with theidentified states. In the case that the share transaction does notcorrespond to the identified states and/or stored data, a validationfailure or error message may be provided back to the curator node and/orforwarded back to the consumer, at 622. In the case that the sharetransaction is determined to be compatible with the stored data, theappropriateness of the share transaction may be inferred and the method600 may continue by, e.g., having the curator node sign the transaction,at 624. In some embodiments, upon signature/validation by the curatornode (e.g., due to positive results being returned from each queriedtrusted node; at 624) a copy of the share transaction and/or ablockchain entry descriptive of the share transaction may be copied toany or all trusted nodes (e.g., a plurality of additional local copiesof the transaction data) to update the distributed ledger, at 626. Theshare transaction may be recorded in accordance with the blockchaininstructions executed by the curator node, for example, by distributingand storing a copy of a data block descriptive of the share transactionto each of the curator node, the consumer node, and/or any or all othertrusted nodes in the blockchain system. According to some embodiments,the method 600 may comprise returning an indication of a successfulshare transaction and/or a transaction hash back to the UI applicationnode service (e.g., to the consumer's device). In such a manner, forexample, the consumer may readily and securely define share and/oraccess permissions for an existing customer profile that may be utilizedto facilitate asynchronous communications with respect to the profile,as described herein.

IV. Asynchronous API-Driven External Application Services for BlockchainSystems

Turning now to FIG. 7 , a block diagram of system 700 according to someembodiments is shown. In some embodiments, the system 700 may comprise asystem that enables selective and limited access to externalapplications for a blockchain distributed ledger system. The system 700may comprise, for example, a user device 704 and/or a third-party device708, each in communication with one or more of a remote device layer 710a, a web application layer 710 b, and/or a blockchain application layer710 c (e.g., that may comprise an application server layer 710 d and/ora blockchain layer 710 e). According to some embodiments, the userdevice 704 and/or the third-party device 708 may communicate with one ormore remote processing devices, such as respective web servers 712 b-1,712 b-2, application servers 712 d-1, 712 d-2, and/or blockchain nodes,such as a user node 712 e-1 and/or a third-party node 712 e-2. In someembodiments, the respective nodes 712 e-1, 712 e-2 may be incommunication with (e.g., via the blockchain layer 710 e) a curator node712 e-3 that may, for example, manage and/or coordinate the signature,authentication, and/or functionality of the blockchain layer 710 e.According to some embodiments, the system 700 may comprise and/or theuser device 704 and/or the third-party device 708 may be incommunication with (directly or indirectly) one or more databases 740a-c.

In some embodiments, the user device 704 and/or the third-party device708 may be in communication with and/or define the remote device layer710 a via which respective applications, such as a user application 742a-1 and/or a third-party application 742 a-2, may be operable to acceptinput from and/or cause output via one or more of the respective userdevice 704 and/or third-party device 708. The applications 742 a-1, 742a-2 may communicate with the respective web servers 712 b-1, 712 b-2,for example, to provide for authentication and/or transactionimplementation of the user device 704 and/or the third-party device 708.Data 744 a-c stored in the databases 740 a-c may be utilized, forexample, to authenticate credentials, verify object states, identifyoperational thresholds and/or logic, execute requested transactions,etc. According to some embodiments, user data 744 a may be accessed toauthenticate credentials provided by the user device 704, for example,and/or third-party data 744 b may be accessed to authenticatecredentials provided by the third-party device 708. According to someembodiments, curator data 744 c may be accessed to operate theblockchain layer 710 e by applying blockchain logic and/or rules toselectively validate blockchain transactions that meet the specifiedthresholds/criteria.

According to some embodiments, functional operation of the system 700may comprise the user device 704 accepting and/or identifying usercredentials (not shown) as input into the user application 742 a-1 ofthe remote device layer 710 a. In some embodiments, the user application742 a-1 may initiate communications with a first web server 712 b-1 ofthe web application layer 710 b and pass the user credentials (or one ormore indications thereof) to the first web server 712 b-1 as a firstlogin request. According to some embodiments, the first web server 712b-1 may generate a login request, such as an HTTP POST request, and sendthe request to a first application server 712 d-1. In some embodiments,the request may be sent to and/or received by a first authorizationmodule or API 744 d-1 of the first application server 712 d-1 (in theapplication server layer 710 d). The first authorization API 744 d-1may, in response to receiving the request, for example, query a first oruser database 740 a and/or the user data 744 a thereof to authenticatethe user credentials. In some embodiments, upon a successful returnand/or match of the user data 744 a, the first authorization API 744 d-1(and/or the first application server 712 d-1) may return anauthentication success response (and/or additional lookup data) that maycomprise or define a cryptographic string, such as a bearer token (e.g.,a JWT). In the case of a failed authentication (e.g., invalid usercredentials) a failure response may be returned. In either case, theresponse may be returned by the first authorization API 744 d-1 (and/orthe first application server 712 d-1) to the first web server 712 b-1(e.g., the web application layer 710 b) and on to the user application742 a-1 (e.g., the remote device layer 710 a). In the case that theresponse indicates a success, the user may be successfully logged intothe user application 742 a-1. In the case of a failure response, theuser may be notified of the failure and/or given the opportunity to tryagain.

In some embodiments, once the user is logged into the system 700 (and/orthe user application 742 a-1 thereof) the user may initiate atransaction by providing and/or defining transaction input via the userdevice 704. In the non-limiting example case of consumer profilecreation and sharing to allow asynchronous communications, the userdevice 704 may receive and/or identify input defining (i) a profile fora consumer (or a portion thereof, such as PII, preferences, etc.) and/or(ii) the third-party application 742 a-2 (e.g., collectively, “externalapplication input”). The user may comprise, for example, an agent,broker, or representative that has been given access/permission toaccess a particular consumer's (or particular group of consumers')profile. In some embodiments, the user device 704 may comprise aconsumer device and/or a company device (not separately depicted in FIG.7 ) and the user may accordingly comprise a consumer, company employee,etc. The user may, for example, comprise any user of the system 700 thathas access to a consumer profile and that has access to, signed up for,subscribed to, and/or is otherwise authorized to engage the third-partyoperating the third-party device 708 to execute the third-partyapplication 742 a-2. The third-party application 742 a-2 may comprise,for example, an application that is granted limited access to theblockchain layer 710 e to perform one or more calculations, lookups,model executions, etc., utilizing data stored in the accessible consumerprofile.

According to some embodiments, the consumer application 742 a-1 may (inresponse to the receiving of the external application input) generate anexternal application execute request that is passed to the first webserver 712 b-1. In some embodiments, the first web server 712 b-1 maygenerate a corresponding external application execute request, such asan HTTP POST request, that is forwarded to a first REST API 744 d-2 ofthe first application server 712 d-1. The first REST API 744 d-2 may, inresponse to receiving the transaction (e.g., “external applicationexecute”) request, for example, call the user node 712 e-1 (e.g., via anRPC) of the blockchain layer 710 e. According to some embodiments, thetransaction request may be received by a first ledger application 744e-1 stored and/or executed on the user node 712 e-1. The first ledgerapplication 744 e-1 may, for example, execute chaincode (not separatelyshown in FIG. 7 ) and/or manage distributed ledger verifications andcommunications with either or both of the third-party node 712 e-2(e.g., having a second ledger application 744 e-2) and the curator node712 e-3 (e.g., having a third ledger application 744 e-3). Informationindicative of the “external application execute” transaction may bestored, once signed and/or verified by the first ledger application 744e-1 and/or by the curator node 712 e-3 (and/or the third ledgerapplication 744 e-3 thereof), for example, in any or all of the nodes712 e-1, 712 e-2, 712 e-3, and/or in any or all of the databases 740a-c, such as in the user data 744 a of the first database 740 a.

According to some embodiments, the blockchain layer 710 e (e.g., theuser node 712 e-1 and/or the curator node 712 e-3) may return anindication of successful blockchain transaction verification and/orentry, by returning a transaction hash to the first application server712 d-1 and/or to the first REST API 744 d-2 thereof. The firstapplication server 712 d-1 and/or to the first REST API 744 d-2 maythen, for example, forward the transaction hash to the first web server712 b-1, which may forward or pass the transaction hash to the userapplication 742 a-1. In such a manner, for example, the user maysecurely identify a consumer profile and the third-party application 742a-2 with a record thereof being stored in the blockchain applicationlayer 710 c. In some embodiments, and continuing the non-limitingexample of a consumer profile described herein, the third-partyapplication 742 a-2 may comprise instructions that when executed (e.g.,by the second application server 712 d-2) may provide output, such ascalculations, metrics, measures, scores, ranks, etc., based on theconsumer profile data to which it is permitted limited access via thesystem 700. The third-party device 708 may comprise, in someembodiments, any type or configuration of a computerized processingdevice, such as a PC, laptop computer, computer server, database system,and/or other electronic device, devices, or any combination thereof. Insome embodiments, such a third-party device 708 may be owned and/oroperated by a third-party (i.e., an entity different than any entityowning and/or operating either the user device 704 or the blockchainapplication layer 710 c; such as a data provider entity). Thethird-party device 708 may, for example, be owned and/or operated by adata and/or data service provider, such as Dun & Bradstreet® CredibilityCorporation of Short Hills, NJ (and/or a subsidiary thereof, such asHoovers™), Deloitte® Development, LLC of London, GB, Experian™Information Solutions, Inc. of Costa Mesa, CA, EagleView® Technologies,Inc. of Bellevue, WA, and/or Edmunds.com®, Inc. of Santa Monica, CA. Insome embodiments, the third-party device 708, via execution of thethird-party application 742 a-2, may supply and/or provide data, such asaerial imagery, Global Positioning System (GPS) data, vehicle diagnosticdata, traffic camera images, blueprints, maps, risk metrics, weatherdata, health statistics, data forecasting metrics, etc., to the userdevice 704. In some embodiments, the third-party device 708 may comprisea plurality of devices and/or may be associated with a plurality ofthird-party entities.

In some embodiments, functional operation of the system 700 may comprisethe application server layer 710 d (and/or the web application layer 710b) executing a call to the third-party device 708. In response to theidentification of the third-party application 742 a-2 by the user device704, for example, the third-party application 742 a-2 may be grantedtemporary and/or limited access to the data 744 a-c. According to someembodiments, the third-party device 708 may accept and/or identifythird-party and/or user credentials (not shown) as input into thethird-party application 742 a-2 of the remote device layer 710 a. Insome embodiments, the third-party application 742 a-2 may initiatecommunications with a second web server 712 b-2 of the web applicationlayer 710 b and pass the third-party/user credentials (or one or moreindications thereof) to the second web server 712 b-2 as a second loginrequest. In some embodiments, the second login request may not benecessary, such as in the case that the third-party application 742 a-2is called by the web application layer 710 b and/or the blockchainapplication layer 710 c. In some embodiments, the second login requestmay comprise a two-factor authentication challenge/response. Accordingto some embodiments, the second web server 712 b-2 may generate a loginrequest, such as an HTTP POST request, and send the request to a secondapplication server 712 d-2. In some embodiments, the request may be sentto and/or received by a second authorization module or API 744 d-3 ofthe second application server 712 d-2 (in the application server layer710 d). The second authorization API 744 d-3 may, in response toreceiving the request, for example, query a second or third-partydatabase 740 b and/or the third-party data 744 b thereof to authenticatethe third-party credentials. In some embodiments, upon a successfulreturn and/or match of the third-party data 744 b, the secondauthorization API 744 d-3 (and/or the second application server 712 d-2)may return an authentication success response (and/or additional lookupdata) that may comprise or define a cryptographic string, such as abearer token (e.g., a JWT). In the case of a failed authentication(e.g., invalid third-party credentials and/or two-factor authenticationresponse) a failure response may be returned. In either case, theresponse may be returned by the second authorization API 744 d-3 (and/orthe second application server 712 d-2) to the second web server 712 b-2(e.g., the web application layer 710 b) and on to the third-partyapplication 742 a-2 (e.g., the remote device layer 710 a). In the casethat the response indicates a success, the third-party and/or thethird-party application 742 a-2 may be successfully logged into theblockchain layer 710 e—e.g., for a limited time, purpose, with limitedand/or specified rights, etc. In the case of a failure response, thethird-party (and/or the user) may be notified of the failure and/orgiven the opportunity to try again.

In some embodiments, once the third-party and/or the third-partyapplication 742 a-2 is logged into the system 700, the third-partyapplication 742 a-2 may initiate a transaction by providing and/ordefining transaction input to the second application server 712 d-2. Inthe non-limiting example case of limited access to external applicationsfor acting upon consumer profile data, the second application server 712d-2 may identify and execute the third-party application 742 a-2 and/orinstructions stored in relation thereto, for example, to act upon theconsumer profile and/or blockchain data to which the third-partyapplication 742 a-2 has been given access. According to someembodiments, the third-party application 742 a-2 may (in response to thereceiving of the call or request to initiate) generate an access requestthat is passed to the second web server 712 b-2. In some embodiments,the second web server 712 b-2 may generate a corresponding accessrequest, such as an HTTP POST request, that is forwarded to a secondREST API 744 d-4 of the second application server 712 d-2. The secondREST API 744 d-4 may, in response to receiving the transaction (e.g.,access) request, for example, call the third-party node 712 e-2 (e.g.,via an RPC) of the blockchain layer 710 e. According to someembodiments, the transaction request may be received by the secondledger application 744 e-2 stored and/or executed on the third-partynode 712 e-2. The second ledger application 744 e-2 may, for example,execute chaincode (not separately shown in FIG. 7 ) and/or managedistributed ledger verifications and communications with either or bothof the user node 712 e-1 (e.g., having the first ledger application 744e-1) and the curator node 712 e-3 (e.g., having the third ledgerapplication 744 e-3). Information indicative of the access transactionmay be stored, once signed and/or verified by the second ledgerapplication 744 e-2 and/or by the curator node 712 e-3 (and/or the thirdledger application 744 e-3 thereof), for example, in any or all of thenodes 712 e-1, 712 e-2, 712 e-3, and/or in any or all of the databases740 a-c, such as in the third-party data 744 b of the second database740 b.

According to some embodiments, the blockchain layer 710 e (e.g., thethird-party node 712 e-2 and/or the curator node 712 e-3) may return anindication of successful blockchain transaction verification and/orentry and/or an indication of data from one or more shared consumerprofiles, by returning a transaction hash and/or a listing of consumerprofile states, variable values, metrics, etc., to the secondapplication server 712 d-2 and/or to the second REST API 744 d-4thereof. The second application server 712 d-2 and/or to the second RESTAPI 744 d-4 may then, for example, forward the transaction hash and/orthe retrieved consumer data to the second web server 712 b-2, which mayforward or pass the transaction hash and/or the listing of states to thethird-party application 742 a-2. According to some embodiments, thethird-party application 742 a-2 may utilize the data returned from theblockchain application layer 710 c to output information indicative of athird-party processing result. According to some embodiments, the outputmay be provided via the user device 704, e.g., as routed in accordancewith stored rules implemented by the application web server 710 d.

In such a manner, for example, the user may sign-up for, subscribe to,and/or otherwise invoke the external services provided by thethird-party application 742 a-2 and have limited access to the externalservices granted and managed by the application server layer 710 d. Insome embodiments, the application server layer 710 d may be owned and/oroperated by an entity distinct from the entity that owns and/or operatesthe blockchain layer 710 e. The entity owning and/or operating theapplication server layer 710 d may, for example, comprise an entity thatengages with an entity providing blockchain services via the blockchainlayer 710 e and may itself manage access to such blockchain services, byproviding selective and limited access to external applications, asdescribed herein.

Fewer or more components 704, 708, 710 a-e, 712 b-1, 712 b-2, 712 d-1,712 d-2, 712 e-1, 712 e-2, 712 e-3, 740 a-c, 742 a-1, 742 a-2, 744 a-c,744 d-1, 744 d-2, 744 d-3, 744 d-4, 744 e-1, 744 e-2, 744 e-3 and/orvarious configurations of the depicted components 704, 708, 710 a-e, 712b-1, 712 b-2, 712 d-1, 712 d-2, 712 e-1, 712 e-2, 712 e-3, 740 a-c, 742a-1, 742 a-2, 744 a-c, 744 d-1, 744 d-2, 744 d-3, 744 d-4, 744 e-1, 744e-2, 744 e-3 may be included in the system 700 without deviating fromthe scope of embodiments described herein. In some embodiments, thecomponents 704, 708, 710 a-e, 712 b-1, 712 b-2, 712 d-1, 712 d-2, 712e-1, 712 e-2, 712 e-3, 740 a-c, 742 a-1, 742 a-2, 744 a-c, 744 d-1, 744d-2, 744 d-3, 744 d-4, 744 e-1, 744 e-2, 744 e-3 may be similar inconfiguration and/or functionality to similarly named and/or numberedcomponents as described herein. In some embodiments, the system 700(and/or portions thereof) may comprise an asynchronous API-drivenexternal application services for blockchain program, system, and/orplatform programmed and/or otherwise configured to execute, conduct,and/or facilitate the methods 400, 500, 600, 800, 900 of FIG. 4 , FIG. 5, FIG. 6 , FIG. 8 , and/or FIG. 9 herein, and/or portions orcombinations thereof.

Turning to FIG. 8 , for example, a flow diagram of a method 800according to some embodiments is shown. In some embodiments, the method800 may be performed and/or implemented by and/or otherwise associatedwith one or more specialized and/or specially-programmed computers(e.g., one or more of the consumer devices 102 a-n, 202, 302, userdevices 104 a-n, 204, 304, 904, company devices 106 a-n, 206,third-party devices 208, 708, 908, the controller devices and/or layers110, 210 a-b, 310 a-e, 710 a-e, 910 d-e, and/or the apparatus 1010 ofFIG. 1 , FIG. 2 , FIG. 3 , FIG. 7 , FIG. 9 , and/or FIG. 10 herein),computer terminals, computer servers, computer systems and/or networks,and/or any combinations thereof (e.g., by one or more multi-threadedand/or multi-core processing units of an asynchronous API-drivenexternal application services for blockchain processing system). In someembodiments, the method 800 may be embodied in, facilitated by, and/orotherwise associated with various input mechanisms and/or interfaces(such as the interface 1020 of FIG. 10 herein). According to someembodiments, the method 800 may embody an “external application execute”flow that comprises a non-limiting example of how an externalapplication may be granted limited access to a private blockchain inaccordance with embodiments presented herein.

In some embodiments, the method 800 may comprise receiving (e.g., by anelectronic processing device of an application server and/or API layerand/or from a mobile application of a mobile electronic device) firstlogin credentials, at 802. A consumer (e.g., a customer or potentialcustomer) and/or other user may utilize the mobile electronic device,for example, to input a login/user name or ID (e.g., an accountidentifier, consumer identifier, organization identifier, etc.),password, passphrase, biometric identifier, etc. In some embodiments,the input credentials may comprise and/or define a token that is passedto a UI application node service in communication with the mobileapplication being executed on the mobile electronic device. In someembodiments, the UI application service may forward the login request toa login API of an application server and/or API layer by generating anHTTP POST request that comprises the login credentials as JSON input.According to some embodiments, the token/credentials may be encryptedand/or compressed and/or may comprise decryption and/or decompressionkeys, data, hashes, etc.

According to some embodiments, the method 800 may compriseauthenticating (e.g., by the electronic processing device of theapplication server) the first login credentials, at 804. In response tothe receiving of the first login credentials (e.g., at 802), forexample, the electronic processing device may query a database (e.g., asecurity database) or other data store to identify and/or compare datastored in relation to the consumer's/user's account, identifier,address, etc. The first login credentials may be compared, for example,to pre-stored and/or specially generated data (e.g., metadata and/or aspecially generated passcode) to identify a match. In the case that theinput does not match, a challenge may be transmitted, communicationswith the consumer/user may be terminated, and/or a login failure orerror message may be provided. In the case that the input matches thepre-stored/generated data, the identity and/or authorization of theconsumer/user may be inferred and the method 800 may continue to, e.g.,provide a successful login token back to the UI application nodeservice.

In some embodiments, the method 800 may comprise providing (e.g., by theelectronic processing device of the application server and/or API layerand/or to the mobile application of the mobile electronic device) afirst interface, at 806. In response to a successful login, for example,the application server and/or API layer may identify one or moreinterface components and/or variable values that are transmitted to themobile device for outputting to the consumer/user. According to someembodiments, the interface (and/or individual components thereof) may betailored to the consumer/user, e.g., based on their login credentials,account ID, etc. In the case that the user comprises a consumer, forexample, the interface may comprise components that query the consumerfor input (i) defining consumer profile data (e.g., a user profilerecord), (ii) defining enhancements to consumer profile data, and/or(iii) defining permissions for accessing consumer profile data. In thecase that the user comprises an agent or company, in some embodiments,the interface may comprise components that query the user for input (i)requesting access to one or more consumer profiles and/or (ii)requesting execution of an external application.

According to some embodiments (such as in the case that the usercomprises a consumer defining a consumer profile), the method 800 maycomprise receiving (e.g., by the electronic processing device of theapplication server and/or API layer and/or from a mobile application ofa mobile electronic device) user profile data, at 808. The consumer/usermay, for example, submit a request to define, create, enhance, and/ormodify consumer data (e.g., a user profile record) stored in ablockchain to which the application server and/or API layer providesauthentication and access management services. In some embodiments, theprofile data may comprise any information descriptive of the consumer,the consumer's possessions, preferences, characteristics, etc. Theconsumer (or other user) profile data may comprise, for example, PII,such as Social Security Numbers, bank account numbers, home address,health data, etc. In some embodiments, the user profile data may bereceived via one or more components of the first interface. According tosome embodiments, the user profile data may comprise data identifyingthe user, as well as data defining at least one authorized user that isgranted permission to access the user profile record.

In some embodiments, the method 800 may comprise providing (e.g., by theelectronic processing device of the application server and/or to a nodeof the blockchain) an indication of the user profile data to theblockchain, at 810. The application server may, for example, forward arequest to create, enhance, and/or share the profile data to a selectedblockchain node. In some embodiments, the blockchain node may beselected based on the identity of the consumer/user (e.g., based on thefirst login credentials and/or stored data associated therewith).Different nodes of the blockchain may be logically assigned to differentusers, consumers, companies, groups of users, consumers, and/orcompanies, etc. (e.g., multi-tenancy). According to some embodiments,one or more identifiers and/or other data stored in relation to thefirst login credentials may be identified and/or retrieved, for example,by directing a relational query to a consumer/user database, e.g.,stored by a non-transitory computer-readable memory device incommunication with the electronic processing device of the applicationserver. In some embodiments, the application server may generate (e.g.,by the electronic processing device thereof) an RPC call to theblockchain node to create/enhance/share the consumer/user profile. Anorganization ID and/or the token provided in response to the successfullogin utilizing the first login credentials may be embedded in and/orprovided with the RPC call, for example, to provide credentialingvalidation and node selection data for access to the blockchain. Theorganization ID may be utilized to direct the RPC call to theappropriate (e.g., assigned) node in the blockchain, for example, andthe login success token may be utilized by the blockchain system toverify access permissions.

According to some embodiments, the method 800 may comprise receiving(e.g., by the electronic processing device of the application serverand/or from a second mobile application of a second mobile electronicdevice) second login credentials, at 812. A user different than thefirst user/consumer (e.g., a second user) may utilize the second mobileelectronic device, for example, to input a second login/user name or ID(e.g., an account identifier, consumer identifier, organizationidentifier, etc.), password, passphrase, biometric identifier, etc. Insome embodiments, the second input credentials may comprise and/ordefine a second token that is passed to the UI application node servicein communication with the second mobile application being executed onthe second mobile electronic device. In some embodiments, the UIapplication service may forward the second login request to the loginAPI of the application server by generating a second HTTP POST requestthat comprises the second login credentials as JSON input. According tosome embodiments, the second token/credentials may be encrypted and/orcompressed and/or may comprise decryption and/or decompression keys,data, hashes, etc.

In some embodiments, the method 800 may comprise authenticating (e.g.,by the electronic processing device of the application server) thesecond login credentials, at 814. In response to the receiving of thesecond login credentials (e.g., at 812), for example, the electronicprocessing device may query a database (e.g., the security database) orother data store to identify and/or compare data stored in relation tothe second consumer's/user's account, identifier, address, etc. Thesecond login credentials may be compared, for example, to pre-storedand/or specially generated data (e.g., metadata and/or a speciallygenerated passcode) to identify a match. In the case that the input doesnot match, a challenge may be transmitted, communications with thesecond consumer/user may be terminated, and/or a login failure or errormessage may be provided. In the case that the input matches thepre-stored/generated data, the identity and/or authorization of thesecond consumer/user may be inferred and the method 800 may continue to,e.g., provide a successful login token back to the UI application nodeservice.

According to some embodiments, the method 800 may comprise verifying(e.g., by the electronic processing device of the application server)that the second login credentials permit access to the consumer/userprofile, at 816. In response to the receiving of the second logincredentials (e.g., at 812) and/or in response to receiving a request toaccess the profile, for example, the electronic processing device mayquery a database (e.g., the security database) or other data store toidentify stored data that defines access rights and/or privileges (e.g.,a share instance) with respect to one or more consumer/user profiles.The second login credentials may be compared, for example, to pre-storeddata to identify a match (e.g., an indication that the second usercomprises the at least one authorized user that has been granted accessto the user profile). In the case that the second login credentials(and/or associated second data, such as a second user ID) does notmatch, a challenge may be transmitted, communications with the secondconsumer/user may be terminated, and/or an access failure or errormessage may be provided. In the case that the second data matches thepre-stored data, the permission to access the shared profile data may beinferred and the method 800 may continue to, e.g., provide a successfullogin token back to the UI application node service.

In some embodiments, the method 800 may comprise providing (e.g., by theelectronic processing device of the application server and/or to thesecond mobile application of the second mobile electronic device) asecond interface, at 818. In response to a successful second login, forexample, the application server may identify one or more interfacecomponents and/or variable values that are transmitted to the secondmobile device for outputting to the second consumer/user. According tosome embodiments, the second interface (and/or individual componentsthereof) may be tailored to the second consumer/user, e.g., based ontheir login credentials, account ID, etc. In the case that the seconduser comprises a second consumer, for example, the second interface maycomprise second components that query the second consumer for input (i)defining second consumer profile data, (ii) defining enhancements tosecond consumer profile data, and/or (iii) defining permissions foraccessing second consumer profile data. In the case that the second usercomprises a second agent or company, in some embodiments, the secondinterface may comprise second components that query the second user forinput (i) requesting access to one or more second consumerprofiles/records and/or (ii) requesting execution of a second externalapplication.

According to some embodiments, the method 800 may comprise receiving(e.g., by the electronic processing device of the application server) arequest to execute an external application service, at 820. After thesecond login is deemed successful, for example, the second user mayrequest that a particular external application service be permittedlimited access to the blockchain to operate upon the user profile record(e.g., any or all profile data to which the second user is permittedaccess as an authorized user). According to some embodiments, therequest may be received via an element of the second interface. In someembodiments, the request may be parsed and/or analyzed by performing averification check to determine whether the second user is authorized toexecute the requested external application. Some or all externalapplications may require a subscription, registration, and/or payment ofa fee to utilize, for example, and the API layer/application server mayquery stored data to verify whether any such requirements are met (ornot) by the second user (e.g., prior to proceeding further or prior toexecuting the external application).

In some embodiments, the method 800 may comprise identifying (e.g., bythe electronic processing device of the application server and/or APIlayer) instructions defining the external application service, at 822.Identifying information descriptive of the external application servicemay be provided in the request at 820 and utilized to lookup details forthe service, for example, and/or information stored with respect to thesecond user may be utilized to identify the external application and/orinstructions thereof. According to some embodiments, the instructionsmay be called and/or retrieved from one or more third-party devicesassociated with the external application service. A third-party deviceassociated with the external application service may be called, forexample, to request that the service be executed on the blockchain(e.g., in response to the second user's request). In some embodiments, alogin and/or verification sequence may be initiated to verify and/orauthenticate communications with the third-party device/service.According to some embodiments, such as in the case that the call to thethird-party service is initiated by the API layer/application server,credentialing may not be required. In some embodiments, once identified,the instructions may be uploaded to the API layer/application server,cached, and/or otherwise stored and/or prepared (e.g., compiled) forexecution.

According to some embodiments, the method 800 may comprise executing(e.g., by the electronic processing device of the API layer and/or theapplication server) the external application service through theblockchain, at 824. An instance of the instructions defining theexternal application service may be initiated, for example, and givenlimited access to any or all data stored in the blockchain. In someembodiments, the external application service may be executed byinitiating calls (e.g., one or more RPCs) to the blockchain utilizingcredentials supplied by the API layer. According to some embodiments,the external application service may conduct calculations and/or otheroperations on the data from the blockchain within the blockchain layerand/or within the application server/API layer and return one or moreresults/output to the API layer/application server. In such a manner,for example, data stored in the blockchain (e.g., a private blockchain)may be operated upon by the external application service without thedata leaving the secure perimeter of the API layer. According to someembodiments, and in accordance with the blockchain operating procedures,an indication of the execution of the external services application maybe stored in the blockchain.

In some embodiments, the method 800 may comprise providing (e.g., by theelectronic processing device of the API layer and/or the applicationserver) output from the external application service, at 826. Theoutput/results from the external application service instance may bestored in the blockchain and/or at the API layer, for example, andforwarded back to the second user (e.g., in response to the seconduser's request). The second user may accordingly benefit from havingthird-party (e.g., external) applications operate upon the profile datawithout compromising the profile data (e.g., via exposure to non-trustedthird-party nodes). Management of external application services via theAPI layer/application server may also provide for a convenientsubscription and/or payment management platform that, e.g., (i)registers and/or subscribes users with third-parties, (ii) verifiesregistrations and/or subscriptions, (iii) charges users for access toexternal application services, and/or (iv) provides payment to one ormore third-parties in exchange for external application serviceexecution (e.g., monthly or annually or on a per-execution basis).

Referring now to FIG. 9 , a systemic flow diagram of a method or process900 according to some embodiments is shown. In some embodiments, theprocess 900 may comprise and/or define a method for asynchronousAPI-driven external application services for blockchain. The process 900may, for example, be executed by various hardware and/or logicalcomponents via interactive communications, which may involvecommunications between any or all of a user device 904, a third-partydevice 908, an application (or API) server layer 910 d, and/or ablockchain layer 910 e. According to some embodiments, the applicationserver layer 910 d may comprise a user application server 912 d-1 and/ora third-party application server 912 d-2. In some embodiments, theblockchain layer 910 e may comprise a user node 912 e-1, a third-partynode 912 e-2, and/or a notary node 912 e-3. According to someembodiments, any or all of the devices 904, 908, 910 d-e may compriseand/or be in communication with a memory (e.g., database) 940. In someembodiments, the user device 904 may comprise and/or may execute a userapplication 942 a-1 and/or the third-party device 908 may compriseand/or execute a third-party application 942 a-2.

In some embodiments, the process 900 (e.g., for asynchronous API-drivenexternal application services for blockchain) may comprise receiving afirst login request by the user application 942 a-1 of the user device904, at “1”. The user device 904 may receive input from a user (notshown), such as a consumer, agent, broker, representative, employee,etc., that identifies, for example, a first user ID and password (e.g.,first credentials). According to some embodiments, the user device 904may pass the first credentials to the user application server 912 d-1 ofthe application server layer 910 d, at “2”. According to someembodiments, the user application 942 a-1 may identify a communicationaddress of the user application server 912 d-1 (and/or the applicationserver layer 910 d) and transmit an indication of the first logincredentials (e.g., a token or key) to the user application server 912d-1 (and/or the application server layer 910 d). The transmitting at “2”may, in some embodiments, result from an automatic activation of ahard-coded network address or remote identifier of the user applicationserver 912 d-1 (and/or the application server layer 910 d) embeddedwithin and/or accessible to the user application 942 a-1. In someembodiments, the user application server 912 d-1 (and/or the applicationserver layer 910 d) may pass the first credentials to, call, and/orquery the database 940 (e.g., a security database), at “3”. The userapplication server 912 d-1 (and/or the application server layer 910 d)may, for example, call the database 940 (and/or the blockchain layer 910e) to authenticate or validate the first credentials based on acomparison of the first credentials to login/security data stored in thedatabase 940. In some embodiments, the database 940 (and/or anassociated security protocol, application, layer, etc.; not separatelyshown) may compare the first credentials to stored data to determinewhether the first credentials are valid, at “4”.

According to some embodiments, the database 940 (and/or the blockchainlayer 910 e) may return (e.g., in response to the request sent/receivedat “3”) a result of the authentication to the user application server912 d-1 (and/or the application server layer 910 d), at “5”. In someembodiments, the result may comprise an indication of success or failurefor the (first) login attempt and/or an indication of a token or hash(e.g., for future verification of authentication). According to someembodiments, the result may comprise an indication of data stored inrelation to the first credentials, such as one or more identifiers(e.g., an organization, account, and/or user identifier). In someembodiments, the user application server 912 d-1 (and/or the applicationserver layer 910 d) may pass an indication of the login result to theuser device 904 (and/or the user application 942 a-1), at “6”. Failedlogin attempts may produce an outputting of an indication (e.g.,audible, visual, and/or otherwise) of the failure or an error by theuser application 942 a-1, for example, while successful login attemptsmay be indicated by a success message. In some embodiments, successfullogin attempts may also or alternatively trigger a provision of a firstinterface by the user application server 912 d-1 (and/or the applicationserver layer 910 d) and to the user device 904 (and/or the userapplication 942 a-1), at “7”. The first interface may, for example,comprise input and/or interactive elements (e.g., a GUI) that permit theuser to enter profile data, request shared data, and/or kickoff externalapplications.

In some embodiments, the process 900 may comprise receiving first input(e.g., via the first interface) by the user application 942 a-1 of theuser device 904, at “8”. The user device 904 may receive the first inputfrom the user, for example, that identifies one or more of a create,enhance, and/or share profile request and/or a third-party (e.g.,external) application execution request. According to some embodiments,the user device 904 may pass the first input to the user applicationserver 912 d-1 of the application server layer 910 d, at “9”. In someembodiments, the user application server 912 d-1 (and/or the applicationserver layer 910 d) may pass the first input to, call, and/or query thedatabase 940 (e.g., a relational database instance), at “10”. The userapplication server 912 d-1 (and/or the application server layer 910 d)may, for example, call the database 940 (and/or the blockchain layer 910e) to lookup various related data and/or identifiers (e.g., a ledgeridentifier) and/or other data related to the first credentials and/oruser. According to some embodiments, the query/request to the database940 may include an indication of an account, user, and/or organizationidentifier (e.g., acquired from the user device 904 and/or returned inthe login request response at “5”). In some embodiments, the database940 (and/or an associated security protocol, application, layer, etc.;not separately shown) may utilize data provided in the query at “10” toidentify data stored in relation to the first credentials/user that isresponsive to the query/request, at “11”. According to some embodiments,the database 940 (and/or the blockchain layer 910 e) may return (e.g.,in response to the query/request sent/received at “10”) a result of thequery/request to the user application server 912 d-1 (and/or theapplication server layer 910 d), at “12”. In some embodiments, theresult may comprise an indication of a ledger identifier assigned toand/or stored in association with data descriptive of the user.

According to some embodiments, the user application server 912 d-1(and/or the application server layer 910 d) may utilize the datareturned at “12” to structure a call (e.g., an RPC) to a particularcomponent of the blockchain layer 910 e, such as the user node 912 e-1,at “13”. The user application server 912 d-1 (and/or the applicationserver layer 910 d) may, for example, generate a call descriptive of therequested transaction (e.g., create, enhance, share, execute) andtransmit the call to the user node 912 e-1, at “14”. In someembodiments, the user node 912 e-1 may receive the call and pass datadescriptive of the transaction to the notary node 912 e-3 forsignature/verification, at “15”. According to some embodiments, thenotary node 912 e-3 may execute chaincode and/or other stored logicand/or rules defining operational parameters of the blockchain layer 910e to determine whether the requested transaction complies with thestored rules/logic, at “16”. The processing by the notary node 912 e-3at “16” may comprise verifying the that the transaction is in compliancewith previously stored blockchain data, verifying that the user isauthorized to execute the transaction, signing (e.g., cryptographicconfirmation) the transaction, and/or storing an indication of thetransaction (and/or the request and/or verification processing) in alocal copy of the blockchain. According to some embodiments, the notarynode 912 e-3 may return a response, at “17”. According to someembodiments, such as shown by the dotted line for the third-party node912 e-2 at “18” in FIG. 9 , the response from the notary node 912 e-3may be transmitted to one or multiple nodes, such as the third-partynode 912 e-2. The third-party node 912 e-2 may, in some embodiments,receive an indication of the signed/verified transaction and executelocal chaincode to append/update a local copy of the blockchain, at“18”.

In some embodiments, the response from the notary node 912 e-3 may bereceived by the user node 912 e-1 (and/or other nodes, not shown in FIG.9 ). The user node 912 e-1 may, in some embodiments, receive anindication of the signed/verified transaction and execute localchaincode to append/update a local copy of the blockchain, at “19”.According to some embodiments, the user node 912 e-1 may return anindication of the signing/verification to the user application server912 d-1 (and/or the application server layer 910 d), at “20”. In someembodiments, the user application server 912 d-1 (and/or the applicationserver layer 910 d) may return an indication of the success and/orfailure of the signing/verification to the user device 904, at “21”.

According to some embodiments, such as in the case that the transactionrequest defined and/or indicated by the first input received at “8”comprises a request to execute a third-party/external application on theblockchain, the user application server 912 d-1 (and/or the applicationserver layer 910 d) may call or invoke the third-party application bysignaling the third-party application server 912 d-2, at “22”. Inresponse to the call at “22”, the third-party application server 912 d-2may identify instructions defining the requested third-party/externalapplication service, at “23”. The third-party application server 912 d-2may, for example, lookup code defining the external service (e.g.,stored locally and/or on the database 940) and/or may identify a sourcefor the code and/or for an authorization to execute the code, such asthe third-party device 908. In some embodiments, the third-partyapplication server 912 d-2 may send a request to the third-party device908 (and/or the third-party application 942 a-2 thereof) to initiate theexternal application service, at “24”. According to some embodiments,the request at “24” may comprise an indication of the user, third-partylogin credentials for the user (and/or for the application server layer910 d), an account identifier, and/or a subscription code and/oridentifier.

In some embodiments, the third-party application 942 a-2 may determinewhether the request at “24” is authorized and/or may identify therequested code, at “25”. The third-party application 942 a-2 may, forexample, verify that the user and/or the application server layer 910 d(and/or the third-party application server 912 d-2 thereof) isauthorized to execute the external application service by comparingcredentials, account data, payment information, etc., to storedverification data. According to some embodiments, the third-partyapplication 942 a-2 may determine at “25” whether instructions/codestored by and/or available to the third-party application server 912 d-2are the most current version. In some embodiments, the third-partyapplication 942 a-2 may provide a response to the request from thethird-party application server 912 d-2, at “26”. In some embodiments,such as in the case that the response from the third-party application942 a-2 at “26” comprises an execution of instructions/code stored onthe third-party device 908, the response at “26” may comprise aninstance of limited access to the blockchain layer 910 e, e.g., throughthe application server layer 910 d. In such an embodiment, the responseat “26” may also or alternatively comprise a request to accessparticular data stored on the blockchain (e.g., with respect to at leastone consumer profile that the user having requested the externalapplication service has access to).

According to some embodiments, the third-party application server 912d-2 may receive the response/request sent by the third-party application942 a-2 at “26” and may utilize information contained and/or definedtherein to structure and/or generate a call to the blockchain layer 910e, at “27”. In the case that the communication from the third-partyapplication 942 a-2 comprises a request to retrieve certain data fromthe blockchain layer 910 e, the call may be structured to identifyand/or request the certain data. In the case that the communication fromthe third-party application 942 a-2 comprises an identification and/ordefinition of external application service instructions (e.g., apointer, access code, update, hash, etc.), the call may be structured toidenfity and/or define the instructions based on a local execution ofthe instructions/code (e.g., by the third-party application server 912d-2). In some embodiments, the user application server 912 d-1 (and/orthe application server layer 910 d) may generate a call descriptive ofthe requested transaction (e.g., external application data access) andtransmit the call to the third-party node 912 e-2, at “28”. In someembodiments, the third-party node 912 e-2 may receive the call and passdata descriptive of the transaction to the notary node 912 e-3 forsignature/verification, at “29”. According to some embodiments, thenotary node 912 e-3 may execute chaincode and/or other stored logicand/or rules defining operational parameters of the blockchain layer 910e to determine whether the requested transaction complies with thestored rules/logic, at “30”. The processing by the notary node 912 e-3at “30” may comprise verifying the that the transaction is in compliancewith previously stored blockchain data, verifying that the user and/orexternal application is authorized to execute the transaction, signing(e.g., cryptographic confirmation) the transaction, and/or storing anindication of the transaction (and/or the request and/or verificationprocessing) in a local copy of the blockchain. According to someembodiments, the notary node 912 e-3 may return a response to thethird-party node 912 e-2, at “31”. The third-party node 912 e-2 may, insome embodiments, receive an indication of the signed/verifiedtransaction and execute local chaincode to append/update a local copy ofthe blockchain, at “32”. According to some embodiments, such as shown bythe dotted line for the user node 912 e-1 at “33” in FIG. 9 , theresponse from the notary node 912 e-3 may be transmitted to one ormultiple nodes, such as the user node 912 e-1. The user node 912 e-1may, in some embodiments, receive an indication of the signed/verifiedtransaction and execute local chaincode to append/update a local copy ofthe blockchain, at “33”.

In some embodiments, the third-party node 912 e-2 may return anindication of the signing/verification to the third-party applicationserver 912 d-2 (and/or the application server layer 910 d), at “34”.According to some embodiments, the third-party application server 912d-2 may process the response from the notary node 912 e-3 to structure,generate, and/or trigger a data query, at “35”. In some embodiments, thethird-party application server 912 d-2 may, as part of the procedure forobtaining the transaction signature from the blockchain layer 910 e oras a separate process, query the database 940 in furtherance of theexecution of the external application service, at “36. In someembodiments, the database 940 (and/or an associated security protocol,application, layer, etc.; not separately shown) may utilize dataprovided in the query at “36” to identify requested data and/or performrequested data transformation operations, at “37”. According to someembodiments, the database 940 (and/or the blockchain layer 910 e) mayreturn (e.g., in response to the query/request sent/received at “36”) aresult of the query/request to the third-party application server 912d-2 (and/or the application server layer 910 d), at “38”. In someembodiments, the result may comprise an indication of a data element,value, metric, and/or mathematical operation result (e.g., a sum,average, total, difference, etc.).

According to some embodiments, the third-party application server 912d-2 may utilize the data returned from the database 940 to perform oneor more calculations and/or computations (e.g., lookups, sorts) inaccordance with the instructions/code for the external applicationservice. In some embodiments, the third-party application server 912 d-2may pass a result and/or output from the execution of the externalapplication service instructions/code to the user application server 912d-1, at “39”. In such a manner, for example, the user application server912 d-1, the third-party application server 912 d-2, and/or theapplication server layer 910 d (e.g., regardless of the configuration ofthe components thereof) may provide limited access to the externalapplication service either as executed or directed remotely via thethird-party device 908 or as executed locally on the application serverlayer 910 d, thereby providing the benefit of the external applicationservice, while maintaining the confidentiality of any private datastored by the database 940. According to some embodiments, the userapplication server 912 d-1 may forward the results/output from theexternal application service to the user device 904, at “40”. In such amanner, for example the user application 942 a-1 may provide the outputto the user, thereby satisfying the user's request as defined by thefirst input at “8”.

While various components 904, 908, 910 d-e, 912 d-1, 912 d-2, 912 e-1,912 e-2, 912 e-3, 940, 942 a-1, 942 a-2 are depicted and described withrespect to FIG. 9 , fewer or more components and/or different componentconfigurations, quantities, and/or layouts may be utilized in someembodiments. Further, while certain particular blockchain calls and/orprocesses are described for non-limiting purposes of example, otherblockchain processes, layouts, procedures, and/or operations may beconducted in accordance with the desired functionality of the blockchainlayer 910 e. According to some embodiments, multiple users and/orexternal application services may be simultaneously engaged with theblockchain layer 910 e via the application server layer 910 d. In such amanner, for example, multiple users that have access to blockchain data(e.g., for a particular consumer profile record) may asynchronouslyand/or simultaneously execute a plurality of differentthird-party/external applications on the blockchain and make use of theoutput thereof, e.g., while providing only limited access (e.g., via theapplication server layer 910 d) to the blockchain with respect to theexternal applications.

V. Multivariate AI Smart Card Apparatus & Articles of Manufacture

Turning to FIG. 10 , a block diagram of an apparatus 1010 according tosome embodiments is shown. In some embodiments, the apparatus 1010 maybe similar in configuration and/or functionality to one or more of theconsumer devices 102 a-n, 202, 302, user devices 104 a-n, 204, 304, 904,company devices 106 a-n, 206, third-party devices 208, 708, 908, thecontroller devices and/or layers 110, 210 a-b, 310 a-e, 710 a-e, 910 d-eof FIG. 1 , FIG. 2 , FIG. 3 , FIG. 7 , and/or FIG. 9 herein. Theapparatus 1010 may, for example, execute, process, facilitate, and/orotherwise be associated with the methods 400, 500, 600, 800, 900 of FIG.4 , FIG. 5 , FIG. 6 , FIG. 8 , and/or FIG. 9 herein, and/or portions orcombinations thereof. In some embodiments, the apparatus 1010 maycomprise a processing device 1012, an input device 1014, an outputdevice 1016, a communication device 1018, an interface 1020, a memorydevice 1040 (storing various programs and/or instructions 1042 and data1044), and/or a cooling device 1050. According to some embodiments, anyor all of the components 1012, 1014, 1016, 1018, 1020, 1040, 1042, 1044,1050 of the apparatus 1010 may be similar in configuration and/orfunctionality to any similarly named and/or numbered componentsdescribed herein. Fewer or more components 1012, 1014, 1016, 1018, 1020,1040, 1042, 1044, 1050 and/or various configurations of the components1012, 1014, 1016, 1018, 1020, 1040, 1042, 1044, 1050 may be included inthe apparatus 1010 without deviating from the scope of embodimentsdescribed herein.

According to some embodiments, the processor 1012 may be or include anytype, quantity, and/or configuration of processor that is or becomesknown. The processor 1012 may comprise, for example, an Intel® IXP 2800network processor or an Intel® XEON™ Processor coupled with an Intel®E7501 chipset. In some embodiments, the processor 1012 may comprisemultiple inter-connected processors, microprocessors, and/ormicro-engines. According to some embodiments, the processor 1012 (and/orthe apparatus 1010 and/or other components thereof) may be suppliedpower via a power supply (not shown) such as a battery, an AlternatingCurrent (AC) source, a Direct Current (DC) source, an AC/DC adapter,solar cells, and/or an inertial generator. In the case that theapparatus 1010 comprises a server, such as a blade server or a virtualco-location device, necessary power may be supplied via a standard ACoutlet, power strip, surge protector, and/or Uninterruptible PowerSupply (UPS) device.

In some embodiments, the input device 1014 and/or the output device 1016are communicatively coupled to the processor 1012 (e.g., via wiredand/or wireless connections and/or pathways) and they may generallycomprise any types or configurations of input and output componentsand/or devices that are or become known, respectively. The input device1014 may comprise, for example, a keyboard that allows an operator ofthe apparatus 1010 to interface with the apparatus 1010 (e.g., by aconsumer, to define a consumer profile herein and/or to assignpermissions thereto, as described herein). In some embodiments, theinput device 1014 may comprise a sensor, such as a camera, sound, light,and/or proximity sensor, configured to measure parameter values andreport measured values via signals to the apparatus 1010 and/or theprocessor 1012. The output device 1016 may, according to someembodiments, comprise a display screen and/or other practicable outputcomponent and/or device. The output device 1016 may, for example,provide an interface (such as the interface 1020) via whichfunctionality for asynchronous API-driven external services platform fora blockchain is provided to a user (e.g., via a website and/or mobileapplication). According to some embodiments, the input device 1014and/or the output device 1016 may comprise and/or be embodied in asingle device, such as a touch-screen monitor.

In some embodiments, the communication device 1018 may comprise any typeor configuration of communication device that is or becomes known orpracticable. The communication device 1018 may, for example, comprise aNetwork Interface Card (NIC), a telephonic device, a cellular networkdevice, a router, a hub, a modem, and/or a communications port or cable.In some embodiments, the communication device 1018 may be coupled toreceive asynchronous consumer profile data and/or external blockchainapplication data and/or forward such data to one or more other (e.g.,remote) devices (not shown in FIG. 10 ). The communication device 1018may, for example, comprise a BLE and/or RF receiver device and/or acamera or other imaging device that acquires data from a user (notseparately depicted in FIG. 10 ) and/or a transmitter device thatprovides the data to a remote server and/or server or communicationslayer (also not separately shown in FIG. 10 ). According to someembodiments, the communication device 1018 may also or alternatively becoupled to the processor 1012. In some embodiments, the communicationdevice 1018 may comprise an IR, RF, Bluetooth™, Near-Field Communication(NFC), and/or Wi-Fi® network device coupled to facilitate communicationsbetween the processor 1012 and another device (such as a remote userdevice, not separately shown in FIG. 10 ).

The memory device 1040 may comprise any appropriate information storagedevice that is or becomes known or available, including, but not limitedto, units and/or combinations of magnetic storage devices (e.g., a harddisk drive), optical storage devices, and/or semiconductor memorydevices such as RAM devices, Read Only Memory (ROM) devices, Single DataRate Random Access Memory (SDR-RAM), Double Data Rate Random AccessMemory (DDR-RAM), and/or Programmable Read Only Memory (PROM). Thememory device 1040 may, according to some embodiments, store one or moreof consumer application instructions 1042-1, user applicationinstructions 1042-2, company application instructions 1042-3,third-party application instructions 1042-4, interface instructions1042-5, profile data 1044-1, login data 1044-2, and/or permissions data1044-3. In some embodiments, the consumer application instructions1042-1, user application instructions 1042-2, company applicationinstructions 1042-3, third-party application instructions 1042-4,interface instructions 1042-5, profile data 1044-1, login data 1044-2,and/or permissions data 1044-3 may be utilized by the processor 1012 toprovide output information via the output device 1016 and/or thecommunication device 1018.

According to some embodiments, the consumer application instructions1042-1 may be operable to cause the processor 1012 to process theprofile data 1044-1, login data 1044-2, and/or permissions data 1044-3in accordance with embodiments as described herein. Profile data 1044-1,login data 1044-2, and/or permissions data 1044-3 received via the inputdevice 1014 and/or the communication device 1018 may, for example, beanalyzed, sorted, filtered, decoded, decompressed, ranked, scored,plotted, and/or otherwise processed by the processor 1012 in accordancewith the consumer application instructions 1042-1. In some embodiments,profile data 1044-1, login data 1044-2, and/or permissions data 1044-3may be fed by the processor 1012 through one or more mathematical, AIlogic (e.g., neural network), and/or statistical formulas and/or modelsin accordance with the consumer application instructions 1042-1 todefine, enhance, and/or share consumer profile information, as describedherein.

In some embodiments, the user application instructions 1042-2 may beoperable to cause the processor 1012 to process the profile data 1044-1,login data 1044-2, and/or permissions data 1044-3 in accordance withembodiments as described herein. Profile data 1044-1, login data 1044-2,and/or permissions data 1044-3 received via the input device 1014 and/orthe communication device 1018 may, for example, be analyzed, sorted,filtered, decoded, decompressed, ranked, scored, plotted, and/orotherwise processed by the processor 1012 in accordance with the userapplication instructions 1042-2. In some embodiments, profile data1044-1, login data 1044-2, and/or permissions data 1044-3 may be fed bythe processor 1012 through one or more mathematical, AI logic (e.g.,neural network), and/or statistical formulas and/or models in accordancewith the user application instructions 1042-2 to asynchronously accessconsumer profile information and/or selectively enable limitedblockchain access to one or more external applications, as describedherein.

According to some embodiments, the company application instructions1042-3 may be operable to cause the processor 1012 to process theprofile data 1044-1, login data 1044-2, and/or permissions data 1044-3in accordance with embodiments as described herein. Profile data 1044-1,login data 1044-2, and/or permissions data 1044-3 received via the inputdevice 1014 and/or the communication device 1018 may, for example, beanalyzed, sorted, filtered, decoded, decompressed, ranked, scored,plotted, and/or otherwise processed by the processor 1012 in accordancewith the company application instructions 1042-3. In some embodiments,profile data 1044-1, login data 1044-2, and/or permissions data 1044-3may be fed by the processor 1012 through one or more mathematical, AIlogic (e.g., neural network), and/or statistical formulas and/or modelsin accordance with the company application instructions 1042-3 toasynchronously access consumer profile information and/or selectivelyenable limited blockchain access to one or more external applications,as described herein.

In some embodiments, the third-party application instructions 1042-4 maybe operable to cause the processor 1012 to process the profile data1044-1, login data 1044-2, and/or permissions data 1044-3 in accordancewith embodiments as described herein. Profile data 1044-1, login data1044-2, and/or permissions data 1044-3 received via the input device1014 and/or the communication device 1018 may, for example, be analyzed,sorted, filtered, decoded, decompressed, ranked, scored, plotted, and/orotherwise processed by the processor 1012 in accordance with thethird-party application instructions 1042-4. In some embodiments,profile data 1044-1, login data 1044-2, and/or permissions data 1044-3may be fed by the processor 1012 through one or more mathematical, AIlogic (e.g., neural network), and/or statistical formulas and/or modelsin accordance with the third-party application instructions 1042-4 toexecute an external application on a private blockchain system via anapplication services layer, as described herein.

According to some embodiments, the interface instructions 1042-5 may beoperable to cause the processor 1012 to process the profile data 1044-1,login data 1044-2, and/or permissions data 1044-3 in accordance withembodiments as described herein. Profile data 1044-1, login data 1044-2,and/or permissions data 1044-3 received via the input device 1014 and/orthe communication device 1018 may, for example, be analyzed, sorted,filtered, decoded, decompressed, ranked, scored, plotted, and/orotherwise processed by the processor 1012 in accordance with theinterface instructions 1042-5. In some embodiments, profile data 1044-1,login data 1044-2, and/or permissions data 1044-3 may be fed by theprocessor 1012 through one or more mathematical, AI logic (e.g., neuralnetwork), and/or statistical formulas and/or models in accordance withthe interface instructions 1042-5 to provide various interfaces toconsumers, companies, and/or other users to facilitate entry of consumerprofile data, login credentials, external application data, etc., asdescribed herein.

According to some embodiments, the apparatus 1010 may comprise thecooling device 1050. According to some embodiments, the cooling device1050 may be coupled (physically, thermally, and/or electrically) to theprocessor 1012 and/or to the memory device 1040. The cooling device 1050may, for example, comprise a fan, heat sink, heat pipe, radiator, coldplate, and/or other cooling component or device or combinations thereof,configured to remove heat from portions or components of the apparatus1010.

Any or all of the exemplary instructions and data types described hereinand other practicable types of data may be stored in any number, type,and/or configuration of memory devices that is or becomes known. Thememory device 1040 may, for example, comprise one or more data tables orfiles, databases, table spaces, registers, and/or other storagestructures. In some embodiments, multiple databases and/or storagestructures (and/or multiple memory devices 1040) may be utilized tostore information associated with the apparatus 1010. According to someembodiments, the memory device 1040 may be incorporated into and/orotherwise coupled to the apparatus 1010 (e.g., as shown) or may simplybe accessible to the apparatus 1010 (e.g., externally located and/orsituated).

Referring to FIG. 11A, FIG. 11B, FIG. 11C, FIG. 11D, and FIG. 11E,perspective diagrams of exemplary data storage devices 1140 a-eaccording to some embodiments are shown. The data storage devices 1140a-e may, for example, be utilized to store instructions and/or data suchas the consumer application instructions 1042-1, user applicationinstructions 1042-2, company application instructions 1042-3,third-party application instructions 1042-4, interface instructions1042-5, profile data 1044-1, login data 1044-2, and/or permissions data1044-3, each of which is presented in reference to FIG. 10 herein. Insome embodiments, instructions stored on the data storage devices 1140a-e may, when executed by a processor, cause the implementation ofand/or facilitate the methods 400, 500, 600, 800, 900 of FIG. 4 , FIG. 5, FIG. 6 , FIG. 8 , and/or FIG. 9 herein, and/or portions orcombinations thereof.

According to some embodiments, the first data storage device 1140 a maycomprise one or more various types of internal and/or external harddrives. The first data storage device 1140 a may, for example, comprisea data storage medium 1146 that is read, interrogated, and/or otherwisecommunicatively coupled to and/or via a disk reading device 1148. Insome embodiments, the first data storage device 1140 a and/or the datastorage medium 1146 may be configured to store information utilizing oneor more magnetic, inductive, and/or optical means (e.g., magnetic,inductive, and/or optical-encoding). The data storage medium 1146,depicted as a first data storage medium 1146 a for example (e.g.,breakout cross-section “A”), may comprise one or more of a polymer layer1146 a-1, a magnetic data storage layer 1146 a-2, a non-magnetic layer1146 a-3, a magnetic base layer 1146 a-4, a contact layer 1146 a-5,and/or a substrate layer 1146 a-6. According to some embodiments, amagnetic read head 1148 a may be coupled and/or disposed to read datafrom the magnetic data storage layer 1146 a-2.

In some embodiments, the data storage medium 1146, depicted as a seconddata storage medium 1146 b for example (e.g., breakout cross-section“B”), may comprise a plurality of data points 1146 b-2 disposed with thesecond data storage medium 1146 b. The data points 1146 b-2 may, in someembodiments, be read and/or otherwise interfaced with via alaser-enabled read head 1148 b disposed and/or coupled to direct a laserbeam through the second data storage medium 1146 b.

In some embodiments, the second data storage device 1140 b may comprisea CD, CD-ROM, DVD, Blu-Ray™ Disc, and/or other type of optically-encodeddisk and/or other storage medium that is or becomes know or practicable.In some embodiments, the third data storage device 1140 c may comprise aUSB keyfob, dongle, and/or other type of flash memory data storagedevice that is or becomes know or practicable. In some embodiments, thefourth data storage device 1140 d may comprise RAM of any type,quantity, and/or configuration that is or becomes practicable and/ordesirable. In some embodiments, the fourth data storage device 1140 dmay comprise an off-chip cache such as a Level 2 (L2) cache memorydevice. According to some embodiments, the fifth data storage device1140 e may comprise an on-chip memory device such as a Level 1 (L1)cache memory device.

The data storage devices 1140 a-e may generally store programinstructions, code, and/or modules that, when executed by a processingdevice cause a particular machine to function in accordance with one ormore embodiments described herein. The data storage devices 1140 a-edepicted in FIG. 11A, FIG. 11B, FIG. 11C, FIG. 11D, and FIG. 11E arerepresentative of a class and/or subset of computer-readable media thatare defined herein as “computer-readable memory” (e.g., non-transitorymemory devices as opposed to transmission devices or media).

VI. Rules of Interpretation

Throughout the description herein and unless otherwise specified, thefollowing terms may include and/or encompass the example meaningsprovided. These terms and illustrative example meanings are provided toclarify the language selected to describe embodiments both in thespecification and in the appended claims, and accordingly, are notintended to be generally limiting. While not generally limiting andwhile not limiting for all described embodiments, in some embodiments,the terms are specifically limited to the example definitions and/orexamples provided. Other terms are defined throughout the presentdescription.

Some embodiments described herein are associated with a “user device” ora “network device”. As used herein, the terms “user device” and “networkdevice” may be used interchangeably and may generally refer to anydevice that can communicate via a network. Examples of user or networkdevices include a PC, a workstation, a server, a printer, a scanner, afacsimile machine, a copier, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), astorage device (e.g., a disk drive), a hub, a router, a switch, and amodem, a video game console, or a wireless phone. User and networkdevices may comprise one or more communication or network components. Asused herein, a “user” may generally refer to any individual and/orentity that operates a user device. Users may comprise, for example,customers, consumers, product underwriters, product distributors,customer service representatives, agents, brokers, etc.

As used herein, the term “network component” may refer to a user ornetwork device, or a component, piece, portion, or combination of useror network devices. Examples of network components may include a StaticRandom Access Memory (SRAM) device or module, a network processor, and anetwork communication path, connection, port, or cable.

In addition, some embodiments are associated with a “network” or a“communication network”. As used herein, the terms “network” and“communication network” may be used interchangeably and may refer to anyobject, entity, component, device, and/or any combination thereof thatpermits, facilitates, and/or otherwise contributes to or is associatedwith the transmission of messages, packets, signals, and/or other formsof information between and/or within one or more network devices.Networks may be or include a plurality of interconnected networkdevices. In some embodiments, networks may be hard-wired, wireless,virtual, neural, and/or any other configuration of type that is orbecomes known. Communication networks may include, for example, one ormore networks configured to operate in accordance with the Fast EthernetLAN transmission standard 802.3-2002® published by the Institute ofElectrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). In some embodiments, anetwork may include one or more wired and/or wireless networks operatedin accordance with any communication standard or protocol that is orbecomes known or practicable.

As used herein, the terms “information” and “data” may be usedinterchangeably and may refer to any data, text, voice, video, image,message, bit, packet, pulse, tone, waveform, and/or other type orconfiguration of signal and/or information. Information may compriseinformation packets transmitted, for example, in accordance with theInternet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6) standard as defined by “InternetProtocol Version 6 (IPv6) Specification” RFC 1883, published by theInternet Engineering Task Force (IETF), Network Working Group, S.Deering et al. (December 1995). Information may, according to someembodiments, be compressed, encoded, encrypted, and/or otherwisepackaged or manipulated in accordance with any method that is or becomesknown or practicable.

In addition, some embodiments described herein are associated with an“indication”. As used herein, the term “indication” may be used to referto any indicia and/or other information indicative of or associated witha subject, item, entity, and/or other object and/or idea. As usedherein, the phrases “information indicative of” and “indicia” may beused to refer to any information that represents, describes, and/or isotherwise associated with a related entity, subject, or object. Indiciaof information may include, for example, a code, a reference, a link, asignal, an identifier, and/or any combination thereof and/or any otherinformative representation associated with the information. In someembodiments, indicia of information (or indicative of the information)may be or include the information itself and/or any portion or componentof the information. In some embodiments, an indication may include arequest, a solicitation, a broadcast, and/or any other form ofinformation gathering and/or dissemination.

Numerous embodiments are described in this patent application, and arepresented for illustrative purposes only. The described embodiments arenot, and are not intended to be, limiting in any sense. The presentlydisclosed invention(s) are widely applicable to numerous embodiments, asis readily apparent from the disclosure. One of ordinary skill in theart will recognize that the disclosed invention(s) may be practiced withvarious modifications and alterations, such as structural, logical,software, and electrical modifications. Although particular features ofthe disclosed invention(s) may be described with reference to one ormore particular embodiments and/or drawings, it should be understoodthat such features are not limited to usage in the one or moreparticular embodiments or drawings with reference to which they aredescribed, unless expressly specified otherwise.

Devices that are in communication with each other need not be incontinuous communication with each other, unless expressly specifiedotherwise. On the contrary, such devices need only transmit to eachother as necessary or desirable, and may actually refrain fromexchanging data most of the time. For example, a machine incommunication with another machine via the Internet may not transmitdata to the other machine for weeks at a time. In addition, devices thatare in communication with each other may communicate directly orindirectly through one or more intermediaries.

A description of an embodiment with several components or features doesnot imply that all or even any of such components and/or features arerequired. On the contrary, a variety of optional components aredescribed to illustrate the wide variety of possible embodiments of thepresent invention(s). Unless otherwise specified explicitly, nocomponent and/or feature is essential or required.

Further, although process steps, algorithms or the like may be describedin a sequential order, such processes may be configured to work indifferent orders. In other words, any sequence or order of steps thatmay be explicitly described does not necessarily indicate a requirementthat the steps be performed in that order. The steps of processesdescribed herein may be performed in any order practical. Further, somesteps may be performed simultaneously despite being described or impliedas occurring non-simultaneously (e.g., because one step is describedafter the other step). Moreover, the illustration of a process by itsdepiction in a drawing does not imply that the illustrated process isexclusive of other variations and modifications thereto, does not implythat the illustrated process or any of its steps are necessary to theinvention, and does not imply that the illustrated process is preferred.

“Determining” something can be performed in a variety of manners andtherefore the term “determining” (and like terms) includes calculating,computing, deriving, looking up (e.g., in a table, database or datastructure), ascertaining and the like.

It will be readily apparent that the various methods and algorithmsdescribed herein may be implemented by, e.g., appropriately and/orspecially-programmed computers and/or computing devices. Typically aprocessor (e.g., one or more microprocessors) will receive instructionsfrom a memory or like device, and execute those instructions, therebyperforming one or more processes defined by those instructions. Further,programs that implement such methods and algorithms may be stored andtransmitted using a variety of media (e.g., computer readable media) ina number of manners. In some embodiments, hard-wired circuitry or customhardware may be used in place of, or in combination with, softwareinstructions for implementation of the processes of various embodiments.Thus, embodiments are not limited to any specific combination ofhardware and software

A “processor” generally means any one or more microprocessors, CPUdevices, computing devices, microcontrollers, digital signal processors,or like devices, as further described herein.

The term “computer-readable medium” refers to any medium thatparticipates in providing data (e.g., instructions or other information)that may be read by a computer, a processor or a like device. Such amedium may take many forms, including but not limited to, non-volatilemedia, volatile media, and transmission media. Non-volatile mediainclude, for example, optical or magnetic disks and other persistentmemory. Volatile media include DRAM, which typically constitutes themain memory. Transmission media include coaxial cables, copper wire andfiber optics, including the wires that comprise a system bus coupled tothe processor. Transmission media may include or convey acoustic waves,light waves and electromagnetic emissions, such as those generatedduring RF and IR data communications. Common forms of computer-readablemedia include, for example, a floppy disk, a flexible disk, hard disk,magnetic tape, any other magnetic medium, a CD-ROM, DVD, any otheroptical medium, punch cards, paper tape, any other physical medium withpatterns of holes, a RAM, a PROM, an EPROM, a FLASH-EEPROM, any othermemory chip or cartridge, a carrier wave, or any other medium from whicha computer can read.

The term “computer-readable memory” may generally refer to a subsetand/or class of computer-readable medium that does not includetransmission media such as waveforms, carrier waves, electromagneticemissions, etc. Computer-readable memory may typically include physicalmedia upon which data (e.g., instructions or other information) arestored, such as optical or magnetic disks and other persistent memory,DRAM, a floppy disk, a flexible disk, hard disk, magnetic tape, anyother magnetic medium, a CD-ROM, DVD, any other optical medium, punchcards, paper tape, any other physical medium with patterns of holes, aRAM, a PROM, an EPROM, a FLASH-EEPROM, any other memory chip orcartridge, computer hard drives, backup tapes, Universal Serial Bus(USB) memory devices, and the like.

Various forms of computer readable media may be involved in carryingdata, including sequences of instructions, to a processor. For example,sequences of instruction (i) may be delivered from RAM to a processor,(ii) may be carried over a wireless transmission medium, and/or (iii)may be formatted according to numerous formats, standards or protocols,such as Bluetooth™, TDMA, CDMA, 3G.

Where databases are described, it will be understood by one of ordinaryskill in the art that (i) alternative database structures to thosedescribed may be readily employed, and (ii) other memory structuresbesides databases may be readily employed. Any illustrations ordescriptions of any sample databases presented herein are illustrativearrangements for stored representations of information. Any number ofother arrangements may be employed besides those suggested by, e.g.,tables illustrated in drawings or elsewhere. Similarly, any illustratedentries of the databases represent exemplary information only; one ofordinary skill in the art will understand that the number and content ofthe entries can be different from those described herein. Further,despite any depiction of the databases as tables, other formats(including relational databases, object-based models and/or distributeddatabases) could be used to store and manipulate the data typesdescribed herein. Likewise, object methods or behaviors of a databasecan be used to implement various processes, such as the describedherein. In addition, the databases may, in a known manner, be storedlocally or remotely from a device that accesses data in such a database.

The present invention can be configured to work in a network environmentincluding a computer that is in communication, via a communicationsnetwork, with one or more devices. The computer may communicate with thedevices directly or indirectly, via a wired or wireless medium such asthe Internet, LAN, WAN or Ethernet, Token Ring, or via any appropriatecommunications means or combination of communications means. Each of thedevices may comprise computers, such as those based on the Intel®Pentium® or Centrino™ processor, that are adapted to communicate withthe computer. Any number and type of machines may be in communicationwith the computer.

The present disclosure provides, to one of ordinary skill in the art, anenabling description of several embodiments and/or inventions. Some ofthese embodiments and/or inventions may not be claimed in the presentapplication, but may nevertheless be claimed in one or more continuingapplications that claim the benefit of priority of the presentapplication. Applicants intend to file additional applications to pursuepatents for subject matter that has been disclosed and enabled but notclaimed in the present application.

It will be understood that various modifications can be made to theembodiments of the present disclosure herein without departing from thescope thereof. Therefore, the above description should not be construedas limiting the disclosure, but merely as embodiments thereof. Thoseskilled in the art will envision other modifications within the scope ofthe invention as defined by the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system for providing asynchronous ApplicationProgramming Interface (API)-driven external application services for ablockchain, comprising: a blockchain application server defining an APIlayer and comprising an electronic processing device; and anon-transitory data storage device in communication with the blockchainapplication server, the non-transitory data storage device storinginstructions that when executed by the electronic processing device,result in: receiving, from a first remote device operated by a firstuser and at the API layer, first user login credentials; authenticating,by the electronic processing device, the first user login credentials;providing, by the electronic processing device and to the first remotedevice, and in response to the authenticating of the first user logincredentials, a first interface; receiving, from the first remote deviceand via the first interface, data defining a first user profile record,the first user profile record comprising (i) information identifying thefirst user and (ii) information defining at least one access rightgranted by the first user to at least one authorized user; providing,from the API layer and to a blockchain system, an indication of the datadefining the first user profile record; receiving, from a second remotedevice operated by a second user and at the API layer, second user logincredentials; authenticating, by the electronic processing device, thesecond user login credentials; verifying, by the electronic processingdevice, that the at least one authorized user comprises the second user;providing, by the electronic processing device and to the second remotedevice, and in response to the authenticating of the second user logincredentials and the verifying that the at least one authorized usercomprises the second user, a second interface; receiving, by theelectronic processing device and via one of the first and secondinterfaces, a request to execute an external application service;identifying, by the electronic processing device, instructions definingthe external application service; executing, by the electronicprocessing device, the instructions defining the external applicationservice, wherein the executing comprises selectively accessing datastored by the blockchain system and results in a definition of anexternal application service output; and providing, by the electronicprocessing device and via the one of the first and second interfaces,the external application service output.
 2. The system of claim 1,wherein the identifying of the instructions defining the externalapplication service comprises: identifying an external entitycorresponding to the external application service; querying the externalentity utilizing information stored in relation to at least one of thefirst and second user; and receiving, from the external entity and inresponse to the querying, an indication that the external applicationservice is authorized to be executed.
 3. The system of claim 1, whereinthe instructions, when executed by the electronic processing device,further result in: providing, from the API layer and to the blockchainsystem, an indication of the authentication of the first user logincredentials.
 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions, whenexecuted by the electronic processing device, further result in:providing, from the API layer and to the blockchain system, anindication of at least one of the authentication of the second userlogin credentials and the verification that the at least one authorizeduser comprises the second user.
 5. The system of claim 1, wherein theinstructions, when executed by the electronic processing device, furtherresult in: providing, from the API layer and to the blockchain system,an indication of the external application service output.
 6. The systemof claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the electronicprocessing device, further result in: providing, via the secondinterface and to the second remote device, and by accessing theblockchain system, at least a portion of the first user profile record.7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first user login credentials areprovided via a smart card storing information identifying the firstuser.
 8. The system of claim 1, wherein communications between thesystem and the remote devices are brokered by a web application layercomprising at least one web server.
 9. The system of claim 1, whereinthe external application service output comprises at least one of (i) anunderwriting appetite metric, (ii) a loss metric, (iii) a businessclassification metric, and (iv) a risk metric, and wherein theinstructions defining the external application service compriseinstructions defining rules for a respective at least one of (i)calculating the underwriting appetite metric based on data stored in thefirst user profile record, (ii) calculating the loss metric based ondata stored in the first user profile record, (iii) calculating thebusiness classification metric based on data stored in the first userprofile record, and (iv) calculating the risk metric based on datastored in the first user profile record.
 10. The system of claim 1,wherein the external application service output comprises at least oneof (i) a data completeness metric and (ii) a location intelligencemetric, and wherein the instructions defining the external applicationservice comprise instructions defining rules for a respective at leastone of (i) calculating the data completeness metric based on data storedin the first user profile record and (ii) calculating the locationintelligence metric based on data stored in the first user profilerecord.
 11. The system of claim 1, wherein the blockchain system isaccessible only through the API layer of the blockchain applicationserver.
 12. A method for providing asynchronous Application ProgrammingInterface (API)-driven external application services for a blockchain,comprising: receiving, from a first remote device operated by a firstuser and at an API layer provided by a blockchain application servercomprising an electronic processing device, first user logincredentials; authenticating, by the electronic processing device, thefirst user login credentials; providing, by the electronic processingdevice and to the first remote device, and in response to theauthenticating of the first user login credentials, a first interface;receiving, from the first remote device and via the first interface,data defining a first user profile record, the first user profile recordcomprising (i) information identifying the first user and (ii)information defining at least one access right granted by the first userto at least one authorized user; providing, from the API layer and to ablockchain system, an indication of the data defining the first userprofile record; receiving, from a second remote device operated by asecond user and at the API layer, second user login credentials;authenticating, by the electronic processing device, the second userlogin credentials; verifying, by the electronic processing device, thatthe at least one authorized user comprises the second user; providing,by the electronic processing device and to the second remote device, andin response to the authenticating of the second user login credentialsand the verifying that the at least one authorized user comprises thesecond user, a second interface; receiving, by the electronic processingdevice and via one of the first and second interfaces, a request toexecute an external application service; identifying, by the electronicprocessing device, instructions defining the external applicationservice; executing, by the electronic processing device, theinstructions defining the external application service, wherein theexecuting comprises selectively accessing data stored by the blockchainsystem and results in a definition of an external application serviceoutput; and providing, by the electronic processing device and via theone of the first and second interfaces, the external application serviceoutput.
 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the identifying of theinstructions defining the external application service comprises:identifying an external entity corresponding to the external applicationservice; querying the external entity utilizing information stored inrelation to at least one of the first and second user; and receiving,from the external entity and in response to the querying, an indicationthat the external application service is authorized to be executed. 14.The method of claim 12, further comprising: providing, from the APIlayer and to the blockchain system, an indication of the authenticationof the first user login credentials.
 15. The method of claim 12, furthercomprising: providing, from the API layer and to the blockchain system,an indication of at least one of the authentication of the second userlogin credentials and the verification that the at least one authorizeduser comprises the second user.
 16. The method of claim 12, furthercomprising: providing, from the API layer and to the blockchain system,an indication of the external application service output.
 17. The methodof claim 12, further comprising: providing, via the second interface andto the second remote device, and by accessing the blockchain system, atleast a portion of the first user profile record.
 18. The method ofclaim 12, wherein the first user login credentials are provided via asmart card storing information identifying the first user.
 19. Themethod of claim 12, wherein communications between the system and theremote devices are brokered by a web application layer comprising atleast one web server.
 20. The method of claim 12, wherein the externalapplication service output comprises at least one of (i) an underwritingappetite metric, (ii) a loss metric, (iii) a business classificationmetric, and (iv) a risk metric, and wherein the instructions definingthe external application service comprise instructions defining rulesfor a respective at least one of (i) calculating the underwritingappetite metric based on data stored in the first user profile record,(ii) calculating the loss metric based on data stored in the first userprofile record, (iii) calculating the business classification metricbased on data stored in the first user profile record, and (iv)calculating the risk metric based on data stored in the first userprofile record.
 21. The method of claim 12, wherein the externalapplication service output comprises at least one of (i) a datacompleteness metric and (ii) a location intelligence metric, and whereinthe instructions defining the external application service compriseinstructions defining rules for a respective at least one of (i)calculating the data completeness metric based on data stored in thefirst user profile record and (ii) calculating the location intelligencemetric based on data stored in the first user profile record.
 22. Themethod of claim 12, wherein the blockchain system is accessible onlythrough the API layer of the blockchain application server.